New Delhi: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is likely to visit India in the third week of June to lay the ground for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Japan.
US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told reporters that Pompeo was looking forward to have a "robust discussion" with his Indian counterpart on a wide range of issues.
The US official may visit New Delhi on his way to Osaka to attend the G-20 summit on June 28-29.
Pompeo is expected to sort out several important issues with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj including the logjam over a trade package, Washington's sanction threats over Russian military hardware and its demand that India end oil imports from Iran and Venezuela.
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The US and Indian officials will also set the course for the India-US 2+2 talks of Foreign and Defence Ministers expected later.
Ortagus called India a "great ally" and "partner" of the US and said the Trump administration will work closely with Modi in his second term on a range of issues.
Trump had earlier said that he sees "great things" for India-US relations after Modi led his ruling coalition to a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections.
"We, of course, will work closely with Modi, as we have many times," Ortagus told reporters in response to a question. "India is a great ally and partner of the United States."