Security, visa issues to be part of Indo-US talks

NEW DELHI: Security issues with a focus on recent Mumbai bomb blasts, bilateral trade ties and the American visa regime will figure in the talks between India and the US during the strategic bilateral dialogue to be held on July 19 here.

The dialogue to be led by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his US counterpart Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will also see the two sides taking up regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Noting that over the years, Indo-US ties have witnessed a "qualitative" shift, official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Vishnu Prakash said the dialogue is based on five pillars which include strategic cooperation in defence and counter-terrorism, energy and trade.

Asked if India will seek assistance from the US in the July 13 Mumbai terror blasts investigations, the sources said already America has offered its assistance and there was a robust cooperation between the two countries, especially after the 26/11 attacks, including in the area of threat assessment and intelligence sharing.