Thursday, February 9 2006 12:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi today (Feb 9 2006) said though educational institutions in the US have been open to Indian talent, students from this country face difficulties and hurdles in grant and extension of visas.

Speaking at the inauguration of a national workshop on 'Changing contours of Indo-US Relations' at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) here, he said India, on the other hand, has been much more open and liberal in approach to scholars coming from other countries. "Not infrequently, our highly endowed young men and women face difficulties and hurdles as ragards grant and extension of visas."

The Governor also said US needs have largely driven the growth and development of the Information Technology industry in Bangalore, Stating that yoga, Indian music, films, literature and many other aspects of culture have always played a role in promoting India's relationship with the US.

Chaturvedi said it is his belief that these unifying and integrating elements have not been stressed enough in examining the relationships between the two countries.

He said while there is much to be hopeful about, there are still many differences between India and the US that could act as roadblocks. "Indian national interests and US national interests may now have many converging strands. But there are still differences that at times could exacerbate our relationships. Past mindsets that find it difficult to cope with the new realities could also pose problems."

According to NIAS officials, the basic purpose of the workshop is to exchange views and generate ideas leading to an action plan that would influence the trajectory of Indo-US relations.