Security issues with a focus on recent Mumbai bomb blasts, bilateral trade ties and the American visa regime will figure in the talks between India and the US during the strategic bilateral dialogue to be held in New Delhi from Tuesday. The dialogue to be led by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his US counterpart Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will also see the two sides taking up regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mr. Krishna will be assisted by Deputy-Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Advisor to the Prime Minister Sam Pitroda, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Foreign Secretary-designate Ranjan Mathai, Director (IB) Nehchal Sandhu and other senior officials. HilaryClinton will be accompanied by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Deputy Secretary, Department of Homeland Security, Jane Lute, among others. She will also call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and will meet National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon. Noting that over the years, Indo-US ties have witnessed a qualitative shift, the spokesperson of External Affairs ministry Vishnu Prakash said that the dialogue is based on five pillars which include strategic cooperation in defence and counter-terrorism, energy and trade. When asked if India will seek assistance from the US in the July 13 Mumbai terror blasts investigations, the sources in the external affairs ministry said that America has already offered its assistance and there is a robust cooperation between the two countries, especially after the 26/11 attacks, including in the area of threat assessment and intelligence sharing. Sources said that India will reiterate the issue of terror safe havens in Pakistan which poses a threat to the stability of the region. On trade front, they said the recent incidents of Indian IT companies facing difficulties in shifting their professionals for execution of projects will also be discussed. Apart from the visa fee hike in the H-1B for IT professional category, the US has also imposed restrictions on the issuance of such visas. Asked about the recent decision of Nuclear Suppliers Group to strengthen the norms governing the transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology (ENR), the sources maintained the move was not aimed against India and the India-specific pact of 2008 of clean waiver will remain. Asked about India's outreach efforts to become a member of the top four multilateral nuclear export regimes-the NSG, the Wassenaar Arrangement, the Australia Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the sources said that India is making good progress and appreciated the US' role in helping India for the membership in these groups.