US-India strategic interests broadly aligned, structural and deep: official

strategic interests between India and United States are "broly aligned, structural and deep" and ties will continue to thrive, a US official has said, as Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale concluded his successful trip to American capital.

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three-day visit of Gokhale, which he started by meeting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and concluded by calling on National Security visor John Bolton, demonstrated "transformation of our strategic" relationship, senior State Department official said on Friday.

visit came amid simmering tensions between India and Pakistan following one of deliest terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in nearly three deces.

On Feb 14, a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohamm group rammed his explosives-len vehicle into a bus carrying CRPF personnel in Pulwama district, killing 40 of soldiers.

US said it supported India's "right to defence" after attack. India carried air strike on biggest Jaish camp deep inside Pakistan 12 days later and Pakistan responded a day after that by violating Indian air .

In a meeting with Gokhale on Wednesday, Bolton said he reiterated that US stands "shoulder-to-shoulder" with India in fight against terrorism.

"My overarching conclusion from visit is that US-India strategic interests are broly aligned, structural, and deep. That our relationship will continue to thrive and that commitment to this relationship transcends party lines both here and in New Delhi," said US diplomat.

two countries see eye to eye on Indo-Pacific issues, pressing need to confront terrorism, and critical importance of growing US-India defence relationship, official said.

During Gokhale's visit, India and US also agreed to build six American nuclear power plants in India, in a boost to bilateral civil nuclear energy cooperation.

However, UN Security Council listing of Jaish chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist did t go through as China vetoed proposal for fourth time in 10 years.

On March 13, two days before deline on Azhar's listing, Gokhale h met Pompeo in Washington. About meeting, Ministry of External Affairs said in New Delhi that Pompeo expressed his "understanding" of India's concerns on cross-border terrorism.

US State Department official said Gokhale and Pompeo "discussed expanding our defence and ecomic partnership, our complementary visions for Indo-Pacific." official said y discussed "our appreciation for India's contributions in Afghanistan, as well as continued support for mission of Special Representative Khalilz."

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Gokhale held foreign office consultations, which on US side was led by Under Secretary for Political Affairs David Hale. consultations reinvigorated an important mechanism in which US and India get toger to compare tes on global issues and talk about ir cooperation throughout world.

"This year's consultations included discussion of developments in DPRK, Iran, and Venezuela. It was clear in se conversations that we have many joint goals and priorities," American diplomat said, using an acronym for rth Korea, with which US is engd in talks to seek denuclearisation of Korean peninsula.

Gokhale also co-chaired Strategic Security Dialogue with Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Andrea Thompson. Members of his delegation held India-US Dialogue with Assistant Secretary for Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance Yleem Poblete.