There is no more important partner for the United States in Asia than India and the growing convergence interests and outlook has brought about unprecedented cooperation between the two nations on regional and global security, a top US official has said.        

"President Obama has called our partnership with India a 'defining partnership for the 21st century'. And as we go about the much-talked about 'Asia rebalance', there's no more important partner for the United States in the region than India," said assistant secretary of state Robert Blake during a talk at Boston University's India Symposium in Boston.       

"The growing convergence of our interests and outlook has brought about unprecedented cooperation on regional and global security, economics and trade, education, science and technology, clean energy, health, and counter-terrorism," he said.          

Blake said the governments of the two nations have worked hard, especially in the last decade, to broaden and deepen this cooperation. He said the US is preparating for the fourth round of the Strategic Dialogue, which will be held in New Delhi next month.

Photograph: Reuters