Top US official Nisha Desai Biswal arrives, to boost ties with Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Desai Biswal arrived in Delhi on Saturday aiming to engage with the Modi government less than 15 days of the swearing in of the new Prime Minister.

This is the first visit by high ranking US official to India since BJP was voted to power. Biswal visit coincided with the arrival of US interim envoy Kathleen Stephens in India.

In fact, Biswal visit was orchestrated with the arrival of Stephens in Delhi. Biswal last visited Delhi in March as the first visit by an US official since Devyani Khobragade episode.

The two diplomats will call on the MEA officials including the Foreign Secretary over the next two days, official sources told Sunday ET. The US officials admitted in private that it would have been prudent for them to engage with Modi much before Powell finally met Modi this Friday.

The US, now keen to repair ties with both Modi and India, will again send Biswal in less than fortnight to Delhi on the occasion of India-US-Japan trilateral meeting in the third week of June, sources hinted.

Incidentally, Biswal who came here after a trip to Beijing and Tajijkistan will be in the city when Chinese Foreign Minister is in Delhi to meet External Affairs Minister, Prime Minister and President over Sunday and Monday.