Mr. William Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs, US Department of State, the highest ranking career diplomat in the US State Department, visited New Delhi on October 15-16, 2009 for meetings with his counterpart, Foreign Secretary, Smt. Nirupama Rao. 

Foreign Secretary and Under Secretary Burns reviewed the India -US bilateral agenda and, specifically, the progress made in the new India-US Strategic Dialogue announced on July 20, 2009 by External Affairs Minister and US Secretary of State, Ms. Hillary Clinton during the latter’s recent visit to New Delhi. 

The substantive issues related to the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister to USA in November 2009 were at the core of their discussions. 

The intensified India-US co-operation in the focus areas - strategic cooperation, energy and climate change, education and development, economics and trade and agriculture and science, technology, health and innovation constituted their main agenda. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of shared interest and common concern. 

Under Secretary Burns called on External Affairs Minister, Health Minister, Minister of Human Resource Development, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, and National Security Advisor.