"Strong growth" in Indo-US defense ties: Sibal

IRNA
New Delhi, Nov 21, IRNA -- The United States Under-Secretary of 
Commerce, Kenneth Juster, is optimistic of making progress with 
India in high technology cooperation, but does not set any deadline 
on when specific agreements could be reached. 
Addressing a press conference after the second meeting of the 
India-U.S. High Technology Cooperation Group (HTCG) Thursday evening, 
Juster said he had "fruitful discussions" with Indian Foreign 
Secretary, Kanwal Sibal. 
Juster said he was pleased that a drop in Indian tariffs had led 
to an increase in the U.S. exports to this country. Underlining the 
need for expanding the potential of commercial ties between India and 
the US, he pointed to the huge trade relationship between Washington 
and Beijing. 
At the press conference and at a meeting organized by the 
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) 
Thursday morning, Juster called on India to drop the trade barriers. 
Specifically, he called for better protection by India of patent 
rights. 
On export controls relating to nuclear proliferation, the official
said the US favoured "catch all" controls; suggesting that India 
should license any components that could be used by another country 
for weapons of mass destruction programs. 
At the FICCI function, he categorically denied that there were any
US sanctions in force against India. Regretting the position India 
had taken at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on trade issues, he 
made a strong plea for New Delhi`s full compliance with intellectual 
property rights, reduction in tariffs and taxes and simplification of 
complex customs procedures. 
Addressing the FICCI meeting, Sibal, said there were "critical 
areas" in the India-US technology transfer relationship, which New 
Delhi believed, had remained a "prisoner of the past." He, however, 
conceded that a broad range of controlled goods and technologies were 
now easily available to most importers in India. 
Pointing out that over the past two years India and the U.S. had 
tried to pursue a long-term strategic partnership, Sibal claimed that 
one example of beneficial cooperation was "strong growth" in defense 
ties. 
"The task is not easy, especially because our bilateral 
relationship exists in a broader international context and there are 
historical legacies to contend with. But, our two Governments have 
engaged in this task in a constructive, forward-looking and 
realistic manner. 
"We are now well into the process of resolving these issues, 
consistent with our respective laws, national security and 
international obligations, but entirely in the spirit of the new 
relationship between our two countries," Sibal said. 
/HB/NA/210 
End.
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"Strong growth" in Indo-US defense ties: Sibal
