United States has begun preparations to accord a "robust" welcome to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November, the first state visit of the Obama administration, to make it a special visit for the Indian leader and a "milestone" event in the Indo-US relationship.
Singh will be in Washington on November 24 in a sign of importance the US attaches to its ties with India.
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake held the first inter-agency meeting in this regard on Wednesday at the State Department.
"It was a kick-off meeting for what promises to be a very robust welcome of the Prime Minister, when he lands in Washington in November," a participant of the inter-agency meeting told PTI.
"The brain storming has just begun on how to take the relationship to a brand new level," he said, terming the meeting as very robust.
"This demonstrates the determination of this administration to make the first state visit of Prime Minister, a very special visit," he said.
Besides top officials of the State Department, the meeting was attended by senior officials from the Department of Commerce, US Trade Development Agency, Department of Energy, US Trade Representative Office and National Security Council.
Image: Reuters
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