In controversial remarks more than likely to raise New Delhi's ire less than two months before President Barack Obama India tour, a top United States' State Department official strongly defended a greater Chinese role in South Asia even as he acknowledged India's sensitivities over such a Beijing role.
Less than two weeks after her arrival in Washington, India's Ambassador-designate to the United States, Meera Shankar, became India's ambassador after presenting her credentials at the State Department to Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg.
He argued that "as India emerges as one of world's leading economic and political power, the central question is how United States and India can work together to address the regional and global challenges that no country alone can solve."
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao met her US counterpart William Burns and discussed a wide range of bilateral issues, including counter-terrorism and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's proposed visit to America in November.
The United States says China has an important role to play in South Asia, according to a Hong Kong-based Web site.
The United States and India are now poised to take their growing relations to a "third stage", a top US diplomat has said, seeking New Delhi's cooperation in addressing global challenges and combating terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"The Democrats will continue efforts to operationalise the Indo-US nuclear deal after coming to power and will work together for the cause of much warranted global disarmament," he said.
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