President Obama today called deepening ties with India one of his administration's most important goall and said he will visit in early November. The US-Indian relationship, he said, will help shape the coming century. Obama's comments came during the inaugural US-India Strategic Dialogue, a high-level meeting meant to ease Indians' fears that their country is slipping behind rivals China and Pakistan in US interest.
"Our relations with India are at the highest of priorities for my administration and for me personally as president of the United States," Obama said at a reception at the State Department hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Obama called India "a responsible global power." (More President Obama stories.)