NEW DELHI, 22 October 2004 — US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca held talks yesterday with an Indian team headed by S. Jaishankar, joint secretary (America) in the External Affairs Ministry.
The US delegation included officials of the commerce and defense departments. Jaishankar was assigned by New Delhi to help implement the Next Steps for Strategic Partnership (NSSP) agreement between the US and India in January to explore ways to broaden nuclear and strategic cooperation.
India reported “substantial progress” in talks with the US team on cooperation in advanced technology, weeks after Washington lifted curbs on high-tech defense exports to New Delhi.
The two countries have identified four sectors for potential collaboration: biotechnology, nanotechnology, advanced information technology and defense technology. Nanotechnology is the manipulation of atoms and molecules to create materials with new properties.
The two sides held talks yesterday to prepare ground for key negotiations on the second phase of NSSP.
NSSP, described by analysts as a “process and not an event,” is aimed at minimizing long-standing differences between India and US on non-proliferation and speed up the flow of technology from the United States to India.
Leading Indian and US officials discussed the nuts and bolts of an agreement to expand cooperation in nuclear and strategic areas, the US Embassy said.
Soon after her arrival here, Rocca held preliminary talks with senior Foreign Ministry officials, including Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, the official said.
With Jaishankar, she discussed bilateral and regional issues and the global war on terror, he said. “She is participating in senior level discussions in the NSSP.”
Rocca came to New Delhi after visiting Islamabad where she held talks with President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and other high officials on issues ranging from bilateral ties to war on terrorism.
The talks in India are being held a month after Washington lifted sanctions it had imposed on Indian facilities after New Delhi conducted nuclear tests in 1998.
Earlier this month, US Under Secretary of State for Commerce Kenneth Juster held discussions on the nuclear and strategic cooperation with Saran and Indian National Security Adviser J.N. Dixit.
During the talks it was decided to appoint an “export attache” to New Delhi from the US Department of Commerce to help US and Indian companies understand the opportunities for strategic cooperation.
Last month, Washington announced it was lifting nuclear export controls on Indian organizations after New Delhi assured US officials they would address US non-proliferation concerns.
The move was the latest easing of sanctions imposed on New Delhi after it declared itself a nuclear power in 1998.
Those sanctions resulted in a freeze on exchanges in nuclear and other high-tech sectors such as “dual-use technology” which finds applications in both civilian and military use.
Along with lifting the controls, Washington said it would ease export-licensing policies to expand bilateral cooperation in commercial space programs.
Worries over missile and nuclear weapons proliferation prompted the United States to clamp down for years on exports to India of so-called “dual use” technology.
India has promised to comply with strict export controls on such equipment.
India’s space agency has said its removal from the US export restriction list could result in a threefold increase in high-technology imports from the United States.
The Indian Space Research Organization buys high-technology goods worth US$25 million from US companies each year.
