The surprise announcement of Clinton's decision to visit India from May 7–8 after the fourth round of US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing from May 3–4 was seen as an attempt to iron out differences over potentially contentious issues like Iran before the June 13, 2012 dialogue.
The official announcement by State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland hinted as much saying she looked forward to the Washington dialogue and will meet with Indian government officials in New Delhi to review progress in the strategic partnership.
The announcement, and timing, of the visit came as a surprise, as Clinton was in any case scheduled to engage Krishna in Washington just five weeks later.
A meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also on the cards.
The Clinton visit is also considered significant as it comes just after her high-level talks in China and ahead of the crucial mid-May NATO summit in Chicago focused on Afghanistan, where the constructive role played by India is well recognized in Washington.
Clinton, who will visit Bangladesh before reaching New Delhi, will stop over in Kolkata on May 7 and meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and other civil society organization representatives.
There were also reports that she might visit Pakistan after the China trip to smoothen the embittered relationship with Islamabad, but India was not on the cards. However, Clinton is not visiting Pakistan this time.
The announcement also led to speculation that Clinton, who has played a key role in nurturing India-US relations over the last two decades, was planning the Delhi trip as a farewell visit to India since she has indicated she would not take up the same job in the next Obama administration.
Besides Clinton, several other top US leaders are expected to visit India in the next few months. Media reports said that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta may visit India in early June for talks with his counterpart AK Antony.
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