Hillary reaches out to India, calls Mukherjee

NEW DELHI: Making her first move to reach out to India, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today called up External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to express desire to take the bilateral ties to a new level.

Clinton made the call a day after assuming the high office, significantly at a time when Indo-Pak ties are at a new low because of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Mukherjee congratulated her on assumption of office of the Secretary of State.

"Secretary Clinton expressed her desire to work together with the External Affairs Minister to take the relationship between India and the US to a new level," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

Both ministers agreed that they would like to further strengthen the excellent bilateral relationship between India and the United States.

Mukherjee invited her to visit India at a mutually convenient date.

Hillary Clinton has been here several times earlier and with her husband and former President Bill Clinton as well as on private visits.