US-India relations on threshold of extraordinary period:Robert Blake

[JayAtl]

Kolkata, Jun 17: US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake today said though Indo-US relations have reached the threshold of an extraordinary period of business and economic convergence, the best was yet to come in terms of trade and commercial relations because of the tremendous scope lying ahead.

Speaking at an interactive session with members of the Confederation of India Industry (CII) here, Mr Blake described Kolkata as a fantastic global hub and one of the great cities of the world.

He said he had seen first-hand how committed government leaders in both countries working hand-in-hand with the business community and buttressed by strong people-to-people ties can transform a bilateral relationship.

"Broad, bipartisan political support in both countries has driven our countries closer together over the last decade and ensures that this relationship will continue to be a mainstay of American and Indian foreign policy, regardless of who is in power," he said.

Mr Blake said over the last decade, beginning with President Clinton’s landmark visit in 2000, the civil nuclear deal negotiated by the Bush Administration, to the greatly expanded strategic partnership established by President Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,

"we have fundamentally transformed the way the United States and India work together". Describing the Indian economy as the second fastest-growing in the world--expanding at a rate of over 8 per cent annually--the US Assistant Secretary of State said it had produced some of the world’s leading multinational corporations, which created innovative goods and services and presented novel business models for other countries.

"India has embarked upon a major period of infrastructure upgrades, which, once completed will vastly lower the transaction and time costs of doing business," Mr Blake said adding other challenges included corruption and lack of transparency.

US-India relations on threshold of extraordinary period:Robert Blake - Online News # 9717

 

[hawx]

india needs to enhance relation with usa more and more we badly need them for like next 20 years to keep some of the miscreants at bay,after 20 years we will be powerful enough no one will think even in dreams to mess with us !

 

[Mo12]

we need to do more, india has to offer usa more in manufacturuing side especially

 

[asad71]

Americans don't appear to be too happy with India's intransigence. After all that the Americans have been doing and saying, they expect better, shall I say, respect.

Clinton Wraps Up India Visit, Nuclear Impasse Unresolved[/B]
In-Depth Coverage
Kurt Achin | New Delhi July 20, 2011

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the deluge of topics on the agenda for this week's talks with Indian officials on bilateral cooperation as a "monsoon." As she ends her visit to India, however, the two countries remain at an impasse over buying and selling nuclear power technology.

As she spoke to students in the southeastern Indian city of Chennai Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the two countries as friends that can occasionally disagree.

"We believe our differences are far outweighed by our deep and abiding bonds," she said.

Those differences, Clinton insists, does not include the issue of nuclear energy. The U.S. and India signed a landmark deal in 2008 offering India exceptional access to nuclear equipment and technology. It was framed as the new cornerstone of a deeper strategic relationship, and a reward for India's responsible management of its nuclear program.

The deal followed a decision by the global Nuclear Suppliers Group, or NSG, to offer India what it called a "clean waiver" that would allow New Delhi to expand its nuclear trade. The NSG is a global consortium formed in 1974 to limit access to nuclear technology, and includes nearly all of the world's declared nuclear powers.

That group stunned Indian policy makers a few months ago when it announced new restrictions on enrichment and reprocessing technologies to countries that have not signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. That list includes India.

During her talks this week, Clinton offered reassurance to her Indian counterparts.

"Nothing about the new enrichment and reprocessing transfer restrictions agreed to by the Nuclear Suppliers Group members should be construed as detracting from the unique impact and importance of the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement or our commitment to full civil nuclear cooperation," said Clinton.

Despite assurances, many Indians are concerned. India is basing a big part of its energy future on nuclear power, and it was counting on receiving advanced nuclear technology transfers from NSG members like the United States and France. The new restrictions could delay those transfers indefinitely.

A second complication to U.S.-India bilateral nuclear trade is a liability law passed by India's parliament last year. U.S. companies say it disproportionately burdens sellers of nuclear technology with compensation payments in the case of a nuclear accident. During her visit, Clinton urged India to bring its liability policies more in line with global norms.

Experts describe the NSG restrictions and the Indian liability law as a double-sided nuclear trade dilemma.

"I don't think there's any kind of solution," said Bharat Karnad, a national security researcher with the Center for Policy Studies here in Delhi. Karnad says amending the liability law, or granting an exception in the form of an executive order, would create a confrontation between India's prime minister and parliament. Likewise, he says President Barack Obama is unlikely to get the NSG to ease its restrictions.

"I don't think the Obama administration is going to invest any more capital than they already have, and the [Indian Prime Minister] Manmohan Singh regime is in no condition to make any concessions," said Karnad.

Karnad says the paralyzed nuclear deal could further weaken Singh's government, which already faces steep domestic challenges related to corruption charges.