Singh, Sharif to meet for ties

India, US hope to repair economic ties

Before meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will first head to Washington to meet US President Barack Obama to try to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

"Over the past decade, our relationship with the United States, which is one of our most important relationships, has transformed into a global strategic partnership," he said in a statement.

But the road for Singh to improve ties with the US will be challenging. When Singh last visited the White House in 2009, he was feted at Obama's first state dinner, a star-studded affair that reflected the excitement about blooming ties between the two countries.

In a dinner toast, Obama talked of his "duty" to bring the two countries closer.

However, that duty has only been partly fulfilled.

As the two leaders prepare to meet again at the White House on Friday, Obama is under pressure from lobbyists and lawmakers seething at what they see as India's protectionism and lax enforcement of intellectual property rights.

India has still not shaken off memories of foreign domination through trade and it is increasingly hard for the government, ahead of elections next year, to push ahead with economic reforms and deals seen as favorable to US companies.

In turn, Indian IT firms, which operate in the US, are angered by restrictions on travel visas for skilled workers.

Reuters-AFP