Food, technology to boost US ties

India and the US are focusing on expanding ties through food security, agriculture and technology innovation cooperation in the run-up to President Barack Obama’s visit in November.

India and the US are focusing on expanding ties through food security, agriculture and technology innovation cooperation in the run-up to President Barack Obama’s visit in November.

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US under-secretary of state for economic, energy, and business affairs Robert D. Hormats and under-secretary for farm and agricultural services Jim Miller were present during discussions with the Indian delegation led by foreign secretary Nirupama Rao on Tuesday.

This was the first meeting of the US-India Agriculture Dialogue steering committee. It deliberated on strategic cooperation in agriculture and food security, food processing, farm-to-market linkages and agricultural extension and crop and weather forecasting.

In 2009, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Obama had committed to taking practical steps to advance global food security and increase agricultural cooperation between the two countries. As part of another Singh-Obama initiative, a technology delegation of US business and thought leaders is presently on a visit to India.

This is a follow-up on the US-India Innovation Exchange, announced by External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and US Secretary of state Hillary Clinton during the Strategic Dialogue in June this year.

The technology delegation is aimed at producing real-world technology solutions in the fields of energy, education and e-governance.