Washington: Close on the heels of Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran's Washington visit to drum up support for the Indo-US nuclear deal, several hi profile visits between Washington and Delhi are being lined up over the next four weeks.
South Block is getting ready to receive three key US officials who have the Indo-US nuclear deal top most on their mind.
US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher will be in New Delhi on April 7. Boucher recently briefed the Nuclear Suppliers Group on the nuclear deal and is expected to give his feedback to Indian officials.
He will be followed by Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the US House of Representatives and the third-highest ranked official in the US government hierarchy on April 11.
The triad will be completed by Senator Chuck Hagel, a key member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Meanwhile India's top nuclear scientist Anil Kakodkar is in Vienna this week to discuss an India specific safeguards agreement with the IAEA.
Kakodkar's discussions -- including those on an additional protocol -- are being seen as a pre-cursor to an India -US-IAEA trilateral agreement on nuclear supplies.
But the Indo-US relationship is much more than just about the nuclear deal.
And that's why Petroleum Minister Murli Deora who is currently in the US will be followed by Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal.
Sibal begins a week-long US trip on Tuesday. During his visit he will launch the Indo-US Biotech Working Group and discuss the formation of an Indo-US science and technology commission.
Trade and investment will be on the agenda of Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. During his three-day visit starting April 19, Ahluwalia will meet World Bank officials and key members of the US India Business Council and CEO forum.
Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde will wrap up a power packed April when he seeks American investment in the power and energy sectors.
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