Leon Panetta, Director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was in India for nearly a week during which he met India’s Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and senior officials ahead of the visit of American President Barack Obama next month. He was accompanied by U.S. Ambassador Timothy J. Roemer to the North Block offices of the Home Ministry.
Panetta held a series of meetings with senior Indian government officials including Union Home secretary G.K. Pillai also were seen as a platform to further cement sharing of intelligence in tackling terrorism. During his meetings, including with his Indian counterpart Research and Analysis (RAW) Chief K.C. Verma and Intelligence Bureau head Rajiv Mathur, Panetta discussed co-operation between the two countries especially in the field of counter-terrorism and sharing intelligence.
This is the first high-profile visit by any American intelligence official after a team of the Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA) had questioned alleged Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley in May in Chicago. Mr. Panetta came from Islamabad where he had held discussions with Pakistani leaders.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
