India a difficult place to work: US report

Report says American mission staff face 'health and security risks,including threat of terrorism.'

Although Indo-US ties are on a positive trajectory,India remains a difficult place to work,with employees of the American mission there facing “health and security risks,including the threat of terrorism,” says an official report.

“US diplomats’ access to Indian officials is tightly controlled. The process by which the Indian Government coordinates contacts internally can at times be an obstacle to broadened government-to-government activity that often requires high-level intervention to expedite progress,” said the 90-page report of the Office of the Inspector General on the US diplomatic posts in India.

“Decision-making is cumbersome,and many influential officials and politicians are wary of a closer relationship with the United States. Mission employees face health and security risks,including the threat of terrorism,” the report,which was made public yesterday,said.

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It,however,said a conviction is growing among Indian elites that engaging the United States is necessary for the success of India’s national interests.

“In recent years the relationship has deepened and broadened with the civil nuclear cooperation agreement,security cooperation following the Mumbai terrorist attacks,and ensuing high-level visits,most importantly President (Barack) Obama’s visit (to India) in November 2010,” the report said.

Observing that today,the US and India collaborate on nearly every global challenge,from terrorism to energy security,non-proliferation,piracy and hunger,it said trade,business,educational and family ties between the United States and India are on the rise,and the diplomatic relationship is struggling to keep pace.

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