US has acknowledged that there are differences with India on the issue of Iran, but praised New Delhi's view point on the controversial nuclear issue and appreciated its implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions with regard to sanctions against Tehran.
"On Iran, we don't necessarily have a uniform view of the issue, although on the nuclear question, India has made quite clear its opposition to a nuclear-armed Iran.
It has an admirable record of implementing previous security council resolutions," the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, William Burns, said in response to a question at a think-tank here.
"As I mentioned in my remarks, it's been quite straightforward in holding India accountable at the IAEA board of governors when its failed to meet its obligations, and so that's an issue on which it's also important for us to continue to stay in close touch," Burns said.
The top State Department diplomat said given India's expanding role around the world and it's expanding interests, it is very important for the US to find a way to engage systematically on East Asia issues, which have already begun;
on the Middle East and the Gulf; in Africa and other places.
"Not because we're going to agree on everything, because we do have differences on some issues, but simply because it's important for us to understand one another's positions
better, because I think we can complement one another's efforts in some important ways," he said.
"So we will be continuing those discussions over the course of the next week. We'll continue that with, you know, delegations of my colleagues who go out to Delhi as well," he said.
"We want to make this a systematic effort in a way that hasn't really happened before.
I think that's in both the interests of India and US -- not because we're going to homogenise our approach to these issues, but because I think we have something to learn
from one another and I think we can benefit from one another's perspective," Burns said.