Kerry visit seen as repairing diplomatic ties, welcoming Modi
30 Jul 2014
As US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in New Delhi today for an official visit, it is being widely seen as a bridge-building exercise to repair some diplomatic damages in the recent past (See: WTO trade talks to dominate Kerry's Indian agenda)
Among other things, it is a further signal that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, once blackballed in the US, will now be welcomed with open arms.
It is also Kerry's first visit since the row between the two countries over the public arrest and inquisition of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York.
Khobragade, an official in the Indian consulate in New York, was arrested in December on a visa fraud charge after she was accused of underpaying her housekeeper and lying about it on immigration forms, creating a serious diplomatic row.
Prime Minister Modi was denied a US visa for many years over allegations that he did not do enough to stop the 2002 anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat while he was the chief minister.
"This is a potentially transformative moment and we are determined to deliver on opportunities we can create together," Kerry said ahead of his visit.