Talks between India and the United States aimed at improving bilateral relations have begun in London.

The Indian foreign minister, Jaswant Singh, and the American deputy Secretary of State, Strobe Talbott, are expected to concentrate on nuclear disarmament and security issues.

Washington has long been trying to persuade Delhi to curtail its nuclear weapons programme and to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

India insists that it must retain a credible minimum nuclear deterrent.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated after India carried out nuclear tests in 1998.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service