In a sign of growing ties between Indian and American security agencies, CIA chief Leon E Panetta is paying a three-day visit to India from November 20, with anti-terror cooperation high on the agenda.
During his visit, the US Central Intelligence Agency head is likely to discuss issues ranging from cooperation on counter-terrorism and sharing of intelligence among others with top security experts of the country.
The top American intelligence officer will also discuss probe carried out by the US and Indian investigators on David Coleman Headley and his Canadian associate Tahawwur Hussain Rana, arrested by FBI for suspected links with LeT and plotting terror attacks in India.
Home Ministry officials said following the last year's terror attacks in Mumbai, US authorities are extremely cooperative with Indian security agencies and parting with key information.
"US officials are extremely cooperative now. We had no clue about the activities of Headley and Rana till their arrest. They sent a detailed report which is helping us in our probe," a Home Ministry official said.
A detailed report sent by FBI, after the arrest of Headley and Rana, helped Indian agencies to take security measures in key installations like National Defence College in Delhi.
National Security Advisor M K Narayanan along with three officials of Joint Intelligence Committee had visited the US last month and had fruitful meetings with American officials.
Information provided by American officials led to arrest of suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist Mohammed Omar Madani in June last.
