In identically worded statements issued today by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and US President George W Bush in New Delhi and Monterrey, Mexico, respectively, India and the US promised to expand co-operation in the areas of civilian nuclear activities, civilian space programmes and high-technology trade as well as begin a dialogue on missile defence with each other. Called the ‘Next Steps in Strategic Partnership’ (NSSP), the new milestone replaces the term ‘Glide Path’ that had been used by US Secretary of State Colin Powell over the last few months to describe a budding relationship in brand new areas. The fact that the joint statement has been issued by the top leadership of both nations, officials said, points to the commitment on both sides to look beyond differences and enhance the bilateral partnership. In the statement which came on the sidelines of the summit of the Americas, Bush underlined the growing warmth between New Delhi and Washington: ‘‘We are partners in the war on terrorism and we are partners in controlling the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. The vision of US-India strategic partnership that Prime Minister Vajpayee and I share is now becoming a reality.’’The expanded cooperation, he said, was an important milestone in transforming the relationship between the US and India, ‘‘based increasingly on common values and common interests.’’ The agreement, Bush added, ‘‘will deepen the ties of commerce and friendship between our two nations, and will increase stability in Asia and beyond.’’ Without naming nations (such as Pakistan) who have been accused of nuclear proliferation to Iran and Libya, the statement says that ‘‘in order to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, relevant laws, regulations and procedures will be strengthened.We are partners in the war on terrorism and we are partners in controlling proliferation.and the means to deliver them.’’ Today’s joint statement delineates the areas in which cooperation is likely: US assistance in nuclear safety for India’s nuclear facilities, cooperation between the two nuclear regulatory agencies, in the joint production of civilian satellites as well as easing the unilateral licensing requirements in the transfer of high technology items to India. What is not on the cards is the transfer of civilian nuclear plants or fuel, not only because US domestic laws prohibit such transfers but also because India is not a signatory to the NPT. Moreover, joint space launches also seem out of the realm, at least for the moment. More than anything else, sources here said, the NSSP ‘‘builds a climate of trust’’ between India and the US, especially since a number of the high-technology items have potential dual-use value. ‘‘It is going to be a phased process where both sides take certain, reciprocal steps before moving on to the next stage. In exchange for the US relaxing restraints on the transfer of high-technology, India will commit to strengthening its export control regimes,’’ sources said. They pointed out that over the last four meetings of the High Technology Cooperation Group between former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal and US Commerce secretary Kenneth Juster, the US side looked for certain commitments from New Delhi. Today’s joint statement is a manifestation of that commitment, sources added.
