By Jill McGivering
BBC News
**US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives in India shortly at the start of a high-profile visit designed to bolster political and economic ties.**Ms Clinton is also expected to reassure India that the current US alliance with Pakistan is not at India’s expense.
At present, the US focus is on Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the battle against Taliban insurgents in both countries.
But the Obama administration is keen to address concerns in India that Delhi’s interests are being neglected.
Mrs Clinton’s visit is an important gesture, designed to show that India still matters.
It is partly about business.
The agreement which ended a three-decade ban on the sale of civilian nuclear technology to India was a centrepiece of the last Bush administration.
Now India is expected to name two sites where US companies can build nuclear power plants.
It is business worth billions of dollars.
Mrs Clinton is also likely to press Indian politicians to resume peace talks with Pakistan.
On Thursday, India and Pakistan’s prime ministers met in Egypt and made broad commitments to working together.
These were greeted with cautious optimism but stayed vague in terms of detail.
The relationship was thrown off track by the Mumbai attacks last November.
India wants Pakistan to punish those responsible and take tough action against militant groups.
The US has been working hard behind the scenes to coax both sides back into dialogue.
If tensions along Pakistan’s border with India were reduced, the Pakistani military would be able to focus more fully on the north-west and dealing with its own insurgency there.
India may take some persuading.
Pakistan is now promising to address the concerns about militants - but many in India are sceptical, saying they have heard promises from Pakistan before which resulted in very little change.