Hillary Clinton pledged robust counterterrorism cooperation with India today while assuring Indian officials that the Obama administration won't ease pressure on Pakistan to combat extremists or allow the Taliban to regain power in Afghanistan upon the withdrawal of American troops. While hailing improved US-Indian ties, Clinton also called on New Delhi to ease trade restrictions keeping American firms out of India's massive market and urged the government to quickly resolve a dispute over investments in the nuclear energy.
Clinton's second visit to India as America's top diplomat came less than a week after a triple bombing killed 20 people in India's financial capital of Mumbai, the country's worst terror strike since Pakistan-based gunmen rampaged through the city in 2008. Clinton assured India of US support in the fight against terror. "We are allies in the fight against violent extremist networks," she said. "And homeland security is a high priority and a source of increasing partnership." (More Mumbai stories.)