In a bid to boost economic and trade ties with energy rich Central Asia, India has agreed to actively participate in building trans-Afghanistan road and rail links between Uzbekistan's Termez to Iran's Chahbahar Port in the Gulf.
Responding to the questions from Congressmen, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake said India is making progress in this regard not because of any pressure from the US, but because of "financial and commercial considerations".
Gilgit Baltistan's large frontage with Kashmir and Ladakh across Kargil and the Siachen Glacier gives Pakistan and China the perceived scope for conduct of collusive operations against India and wrest control of the major course of the Indus and Shyok, observes Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
Promising to respect democracy, the new Maldives President Mohammed Waheed has told the United States that he intends to form a national unity government which would include participation of opposition parties.
It's a packed 5-nation, 9-day, visit for Prime Minister Modi as he heads to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, apart from Ufa in Russia.
Pakistan's top diplomat Sartaj Aziz said that he did not reject the idea when asked about the chances of a meeting between the two prime ministers
The Obama Administration is encouraged by recent steps taken by the governments of India and Pakistan to initiate closer trade and commercial ties.
The US is working to enhance partnerships with India's smaller cities and towns which are fast becoming the engines of the country's economic boom, a senior American official has said.
'I used to go to Sanjay Dutt, give him the scene, and then act it out.' 'He would say, 'Arrey, Girishbhai kar lunga'.' 'But I would insist: 'Nahin, main karke dikhane chahta hoon'.' He said this was the first time in his career that someone was acting out the scene for him!'
The sizeable Indian investment flowing into the US is supporting thousands of jobs in this country, a senior US official has said, acknowledging the contribution of Indian money in creating employment during a tough economic environment.
The United States believes India has the required institutional capacity to become a global power and sees a growing strategic convergence between the two nations, a top administration official has said ahead of next week's India-US strategic dialogue.
Two influential Congressional sub-committees will hold a joint hearing on Pakistan's commitment in the fight against terrorism
India depends on Iran for 12 per cent of its 80 per cent of imports of crude.
A federal counter intelligence probe against former top American diplomat Robin Raphel, who also lobbied for Pakistan post retirement, would not impact America's ties with South Asian countries, a US official has said.
Global warming can cause extreme floods and droughts and can mean snowfall is replaced by rain, with higher evaporation rates.
Demanding a free and fair election in Maldives, the country's ousted President Mohamed Nasheed has said he does not want to topple the government of the day.
The government has announced several incentives for exporters to explore new destinations under focus market and focus product scheme.
Despite a strategic engagement that has brought the two countries into closer convergence, the US does not always expect India to toe its line and recognises New Delhi's strategic autonomy, a top official has said.
Amid concern over some NGOs misusing foreign aid, the United States is preparing an online searchable database containing a vetted list of transparent and accountable Indian non-government bodies so that philanthropists can safely donate funds to them.
United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake will travel to Maldives for a first-hand assessment of the current political crisis in the island nation. "Assistant Secretary Blake has decided that he will add a stop in Male, capital of the Maldives, to his upcoming trip to the region. He will be there on Saturday, February 11, en route also to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as planned," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said.
China is emerging as a naval entity and India cannot turn a blind eye to this, says West Bengal governor and former National Security Advisor M K Narayanan
With this subdued forecast, India is likely to record its worst growth performance since the 1991 liberalisation. However, it is among the only two major economies, which will register a positive growth rate in 2020. The other being China, for which the IMF has projected a growth rate of 1.2 per cent.
'The world's patience on terrorist safe havens is running thin and that is not good for Pakistan'
The US said that it supports dialogue between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.
A high degree of mistrust continues to strain the bilateral relationship between India and China, the Pentagon has informed the United States Congress. New Delhi remains concerned by China's close military ties with Pakistan and its growing footprint in the Indian Ocean, Central Asia and Africa, Pentagon said in its annual report.
"Opening transit trade to India would be transformative, because India is going to be such an important economic anchor for the region in the 21st century," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake said.
Acknowledging that there are differences between India and the US on issues like Libya and Syria, a top Obama administration official has said the two countries need to "redouble" their efforts to work together to reduce any misunderstanding between them.
India needs a National Trade Policy Council, chaired by a minister who reports directly to the PM, says Jayanta Roy, former economic advisor to the Union commerce ministry.
India has been doing business with the world long before most countries realized the power of trade.
Outsourcing could be one of the campaign issues.
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had a long conversation over the current situation in Sri Lanka, a State Department official has said.
Stating that the United States has a strong interest in helping India in preventing terror attacks, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake said the country wants to see improved relations between India and Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will focus on extended neighbourhood, particularly the ASEAN and Central Asian regions, says Archis Mohan
India's attempts to make some headway in the Great Game in Central Asia may be the reason behind Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Kazakhstan, says Rediff.com's Nikhil Lakshman, who is travelling with the PM to the Kazakh capital of Sanya
China is planning a 'New Silk Road' at a cost of $660 million that will run through Central Asia and continue into Europe, crossing the Pamir Plateau, to facilitate improved transport and trade.
Terrorist groups under the banner of the Taliban in Pakistan as well as those operating in South and Central Asia pose the "greatest threat" to Islamabad's nuclear infrastructure, a report by a US think tank has said.
NASA said it is looking forward to explore the solar system with its Indian counterpart.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a media briefing in Beijing that the BRI is an economic cooperation project and it does not involve territorial disputes.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said in a statement that the US report "Avoiding water wars in South and Central Asia," released on February 22, acknowledges that dams India is building in Jammu and Kashmir "will limit supply of water to Pakistan at crucial moments."
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday said it had documented cases where workers building venues for Russia's 2018 soccer World Cup had been left unpaid, made to work in dangerously cold conditions, or suffered reprisals for raising concerns.
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