Links to U.S. official, academic and business viewpoints on US-India relations.

Programs that will strengthen the strategic partnership between the United States and India

U.S. Department of State Fact Sheets
Washington, DC, July 18, 2005

1. Enhancing the U.S.- India Economic Dialogue

CEOs Forum Established

The significance for each country of the U.S.-Indian economic partnership cannot be overstated. Extending beyond trade, which is rapidly growing, the intensifying and increasingly complex economic links being forged between our two countries are having a profound impact on our joint and respective economic outlook in the 21st century. In recognition of that fact and to provide a useful context, the governments of the United States and India agreed to energize our wide-ranging Economic Dialogue (ED) covering key sectors in our economic partnership. The Co-conveners of the Economic Dialogue are Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of the National Economic Council Allan Hubbard (U.S.) and Deputy, Planning Commission Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia (India).

The Economic Dialogue, created in 2000 and revised in 2001, was realigned this year to create a separate Energy Dialogue. The Economic Dialogue has four tracks: the Trade Policy Forum, the Financial and Economic Forum, the Environment Dialogue and the Commercial Dialogue. Each of these tracks is led by the respective U.S. agency and Indian ministry. The Economic Dialogue has two cross-cutting themes in biotechnology and information technology. The IT theme is now expanded to become the Information and Communications Technology Working Group (ICT Working Group).

CEO Forum

Both our governments have agreed that we should create a high-level private sector forum to exchange business community views on key economic priorities. Input from the business community is an integral component of a successful bilateral economic dialogue. To harness that input, the United States and India have established a CEO Forum, composed of 10 chief executives from each country. The chief executive officers represent a cross-section of industrial sectors, particularly those that have a stake in improving the commercial climate between our two countries. This will also serve as a channel to provide senior-level private sector input into discussions and formulation of economic policy. Their input will help the United States and India make progress on key issues that will enhance economic growth and job creation and promote bilateral trade and investment by harnessing the energy and expertise of private sector leaders.

The CEOs are:

2. The United States and India, Strong Global Partners

President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Today Demonstrated Their Resolve To Strengthen the Relationship Between India and the United States and Establish a Global Partnership. Together, the two countries will provide global leadership in areas of mutual interest and concern. President Bush also accepted an invitation by Prime Minister Singh to visit India.

Background: Building on their common values and mutual vision for the U.S.-India relationship and our joint objectives as strong longstanding democracies, the two leaders laid out eight major initiatives:

• Completion of Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) Initiative. The NSSP encompasses cooperation in commerce in space, civil nuclear energy, and dual-use technology.
• A Revitalized U.S.-India Economic Dialogue Covering Trade, Finance, the Environment, and Commerce. This dialogue will include a new CEO Forum, an advisory group comprised of top U.S. and Indian CEOs, to harness private sector energy and to provide guidance on how to deepen the bilateral economic relationship. This initiative will help expand trade and investment links between the two countries.
• A U.S.-India Energy Dialogue To Strengthen Energy Security and Promote Stable Energy Markets. The dialogue will aim to ensure adequate energy and affordable supplies while addressing relevant environmental concerns. It will include five working groups to discuss common action on oil and gas, coal, energy efficiency, new and renewable technologies, and civil nuclear energy.
• An Initiative To Enhance Joint Activities in Space Cooperation. The effort will include in-space navigation and cooperation in the commercial space arena, through such mechanisms as the U.S.-India Working Group on Civil Space Cooperation. Immediate benefits will include launching two U.S. instruments on the Indian Chandrayaan-1 mission to the moon, and working to include an Indian astronaut in the U.S. astronaut training program. The two nations also expressed the readiness to expand cooperation on the Global Positioning System (GPS).
• A U.S.-India Global Democracy Initiative To Aid Developing Democracies. The Democracy Initiative will assist other societies in transition seeking to become more open and democratic. The two nations will support the UN Democracy Fund with major contributions to provide assistance to build democratic institutions and develop appropriate human resources.
• A U.S.-India Disaster Response Initiative. This effort will build on the successful coordination undertaken by the Tsunami Core Group, which the U.S. and India were founding members of, during last December's relief efforts. The initiative will establish an ongoing effort to prepare for and conduct disaster relief operations in the Indian Ocean region and beyond, drawing upon other contributors as appropriate, and will establish a military-to-military partnership.
• A U.S.-India HIV/AIDS Partnership. Coordinated alliances between U.S. and Indian companies and their governments will mobilize large resources from the private sector to support prevention, care, and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS.
• A U.S.-India Agricultural Alliance. This joint effort will focus on promoting teaching, research, service, and commercial linkages that lead to developing and using innovations to achieve economic, social, and environmental benefits. The initiative will conduct academic, research, outreach, and partnership programs.

3. The United States and India: Partners in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS

Recognizing that the HIV/AIDS pandemic constitutes one of the greatest challenges facing humankind in the 21st century, the United States and India declared their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation to combat the disease at the global level. Prime Minister Singh and President Bush vowed to scale up current prevention and control initiatives in India and extend these efforts, where appropriate, to other vulnerable countries.

Expedited FDA Review of Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) Under the President’s Emergency Plan and Ongoing Collaboration in the Sciences

Regarding this partnership, the U.S. will continue to expedite the review of applications for approval or tentative approval by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) of generic antiretrovirals (ARVs) received from Indian pharmaceutical companies under the President’s Emergency Plan. Eight of ten generic antiretrovirals approved so far are Indian products.

India and the U.S. will continue to collaborate in basic sciences, product development, and clinical trials research, in the hopes that joint efforts may lead to the development of products with global relevance to Africa and other parts of Asia, particularly pediatric formulations of antiretrovirals. The U.S. and India will explore new opportunities for public-private collaboration on HIV/AIDS product development and increase capacity to conduct world-class clinical trials in India.

U.S.-India HIV/AIDS Private-Sector Corporate Initiative

With a large number of infections, India is at a critical point in its fight against HIV/AIDS. Following on India’s recent scale up of resources and renewed political commitment to fight HIV/AIDS, President Bush announced an additional U.S. contribution of $7 million to expand resources available to fight HIV/AIDS in India. These new resources will catalyze an innovative partnership, the HIV/AIDS Private-Sector Corporate Initiative. This initiative will build alliances between U.S. and Indian companies and the governments of India and the United States in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and could be expanded to other countries. It has three components:

1. Establishment of a Private-Sector HIV/AIDS Capital Fund that will accept donations from both Indian and U.S. companies;
2. Expansion of HIV/AIDS Workplace Programs; and
3. Increased access to safe, effective, quality anti-retroviral drugs, particularly for pediatric treatment.
   

4. U.S., India Sign Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement

The United States and India signed an umbrella Science & Technology (S&T) agreement in Washington during the July 18, 2005 visit of Indian Prime Minister Singh to the United States. The purpose of the agreement is to strengthen the science and technology capabilities of the U.S. and India, expand relations between their extensive scientific and technological communities, and to promote technological and scientific cooperation in areas of mutual benefit.

This new agreement, which for the first time establishes intellectual property right protocols and other provisions necessary to conduct active collaborative research, will accelerate cooperation between Indian and U.S. scientists in government agencies, private sector, and academia in such areas as: basic sciences, space, energy, nanotechnology, health, and information technology that will advance scientific understanding and benefit all our peoples.

Scientific and economic links between India and the United States have remained strong since the early 1960s, first in agriculture, and then spreading into a broad range of areas involving most of the U.S. Government technical agencies. The United States and India established a $110 million Public Law 480 "Rupee Fund" in 1987 to promote and fund science and technology collaboration and educational and cultural exchanges. The Rupee Fund Agreement, which stimulated a broad set of cooperative activity between the U.S. and India, continued until 1998. The Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (Forum), established in 2000, was created and endowed with a portion of the remaining Public Law 480 Rupee Funds.

The Forum makes a valuable contribution to strengthening the bilateral U.S.-India relationship by exploring and identifying fruitful areas of cooperation through sponsoring workshops, scientist exchanges and meetings. It has sponsored major events like the India-United States Conference on Space Science, Applications and Commerce, activities in technology innovation, climate change, and fosters contact among young promising scientists. The new science and technology agreement will complement the activity of the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum by facilitating follow-on technical collaborations.

5. U.S.-India Economic Dialogue: Strengthening Information and Communication Technology Cooperation

The extent and depth of U.S.-Indian cooperation in the development and formulation of policy in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector has recently made significant progress. A key underpinning of our deepening bilateral economic partnership has been the demand for enhanced electronic connectivity between our two countries. India has become a key market for many information communication technology products made in the United States, while the United States is an important consumer of Indian IT-enabled services.

The launch of the United States - India Information and Communications Technology Working Group Working Group recognizes the impact that this sector has on the future of our bilateral economic partnership. It will focus the strong interest that exists on each side to enhance understanding and share perspectives on developments in the information and telecommunications sectors, leading to tangible accomplishments and problem solving. The participants will consist of appropriate representatives from each government in close coordination with the private sector.

The dialogue will seek to address outstanding issues and opportunities that can benefit through a more regular and structured dialogue process. These include explorations of further policy development, commercial opportunities and obstacles and matched goals in multilateral settings such as the World Summit on the Information Society, the International Telecommunication Union, and the World Trade Organization. In particular, the Working Group will explore ways that investment and regulatory regimes can be developed to maximize development of the sector, provide meaningful market access opportunities, and support robust competition.

Officials from India and the United States have participated in exchanges of high-level delegations, training opportunities, regional conferences and ongoing sharing of information and perspectives. The U.S. Government, through the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, the U.S. Trade Representative's Office and the Federal Communications Commission, has established productive working relationships with counterparts in India, including the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), and the Ministry of External Affairs. The extent and quality of the discussions continue to grow, resulting in mutual understanding and concrete benefits.

As a cross-cutting theme, the Information and Communications Technology dialogue will aim to support the overall objectives of the Economic Dialogue which include: better coordination of discussions and activities between the two governments, soliciting the support of private sector stakeholders and incorporating their views into government decisions and actions concerning the bilateral economic relationship. The dialogue will complement the work of the existing High-Technology Cooperation Group and the Cybersecurity Forum.

The United States encourages liberalization of telecommunications markets worldwide and supports standards that are open, interoperable, non-discriminatory, and demand-driven. The U.S.- India Information and Communication Technology Working Group promises to be a good example of how regulatory dialogue and increased transparency can benefit both countries and recognizes the role of information and communications technology in promoting sustained economic growth and strengthening the U.S.-Indian economic partnership.

6. U.S.-India Disaster Relief Initiative

The United States and India committed themselves to aiding those affected by the December 2004 tsunami’s devastation and, through the creation of the Tsunami Core Group, demonstrated their willingness and desire to be full-fledged partners in the relief operations. Recognizing that the combined efforts of the U.S. and India significantly enhanced the world’s response to the tsunami disaster of December 26, 2004, the President and the Prime Minister announced today the launch of the U.S.-India Disaster Relief Initiative (DRI) to contribute to disaster preparedness and future relief operations.

The Disaster Relief Initiative will build upon the existent, strong civilian relationship between the two governments in disaster relief, involving the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs. Through the Initiative, the U.S. and India seek to increase their ability to respond to disasters in an integrated fashion, partnering with other U.S., Indian and UN agencies, as well as international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other governments as appropriate. The U.S. and India will continue to work together with the regional community on the development and implementation of early warning system programs.

As mandated by the New Framework for the U.S.-India Defense Relationship, the U.S. and India will strengthen their military capabilities to respond effectively to future disasters by conducting joint and combined military exercises. U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) and the Indian Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) will be the respective military leads in each country to establish a dialogue and identify additional military training needs, skills-development requirements, and other challenges to a speedy and effective disaster response.

As part of the Disaster Relief Initiative, the U.S. and India agree to cooperate to help build disaster response capabilities in other countries. They would also share best practices and experiences with a view to strengthening a regional response to natural disasters.

7. U.S.-India Global Democracy Initiative

The United States and India share a fundamental commitment to democracy and believe they have an obligation to the global community to strengthen values, ideals and practices of freedom, pluralism, and rule of law. With their solid democratic traditions and institutions, they have agreed to assist other societies in transition seeking to become more open and democratic. They recognize democracy as a universal aspiration that transcends social, cultural and religious boundaries.

Each has expressed at the highest levels its belief that democracy is central to economic prosperity and development and to building peaceful societies.

Possessing a wealth of knowledge and experience that can, and must, be shared with other emerging democracies, the United States and India will offer assistance when sought to build institutions and develop relevant human resources that make the workings of democracy credible. An independent judiciary, a credible election commission, an active human rights commission, and effective and transparent auditing process are some of the critical elements of that democratic ideal. The spread of parliamentary practices is also an important contribution to the process of democratic transition. Gender equality is an integral aspect of democratic societies, and support for programs promoting this objective is envisaged as a high priority.

Respect for diversity and pluralism is intrinsic to democracy. The U.S. and India will support programs that will sustain and nurture the value of pluralism. They will encourage and support the United Nations in its electoral assistance programs, including through national capacity building, constitution drafting and electoral expertise for transition democracies.

The United States and India welcome the Democracy Fund under the United Nations and announce they are taking steps to make a contribution of U.S. $10 million each to the Fund this year. They invite other democratic nations to contribute generously to the Fund, which should assist societies in building the institutions of democracy.

Through the launch of their Global Democracy Initiative to Promote Democracy and Development, they have agreed to:

• Reaffirm the Community of Democracies Santiago Commitment, and agree to work together to jointly implement the Santiago commitment, including with other states and civil society organizations, to promote democracy and development.
• Organize together training courses in India, the United States, or a third country where necessary, to enhance capabilities to strengthen democratic institutions and develop their human resources.
• Establish a virtual Coordination and Information Center to share best practices on democracy, identify opportunities for joint support, and highlight capacity-building training programs.
• Partnering at the UN General Assembly Summit on the Millennium Development Goals to ensure that the outcome advances the important link of democracy and development.

8. U.S.-India Knowledge Initiative on Agricultural Education, Teaching, Research, Service and Commercial Linkages

More than 50 years ago, the United States and India signed agreements to improve agricultural education and research in India. The U.S. also launched extension/outreach services aimed at providing advice to Indian farmers on new agricultural technologies. A key result of these initiatives was the establishment of five state agricultural universities in India with considerable advisory support from colleagues at American Land-Grant universities. This rich tradition of collaboration in knowledge exchange helped to launch India’s Green Revolution, which itself led to the country’s subsequent emergence from food insecurity. At the same time, through cooperation, American campuses were extensively enriched with international insights and networks.

Recent years have seen a host of changes. Our relationships have matured such that we now assume more co-equal partnerships that help us meet mutually important goals – and perhaps even jointly assist others in need. The private sector and foundations also play an increasingly active role. Agriculture has become global in its reach, much more complex in its trades and exchanges, more technologically grounded, and ever more challenged with balancing sustainability, productivity and social responsiveness.

The United States – India Knowledge Initiative on Agricultural Education, Teaching, Research, Service and Commercial Linkages announced today will provide the momentum needed to re-energize our longstanding tradition of knowledge exchange. Through it, we will draw upon what we have learned to find new, creative and realistic ways to revitalize our partnership such that agricultural programs at our colleges and universities are better able to respond to the current and future needs of our people, and to opportunities in today’s vibrant private business environment.

The Knowledge Initiative will develop a plan for our governments by November 2005 that identifies priority areas for partnerships in teaching, research, and service as follows. The plan will describe steps needed to initiate and develop those partnerships, and it will consider resource implications.

• Teaching – The Knowledge Initiative will consider new and existing mechanisms to strengthen curricular design, course content and delivery, and degree attainment in both countries so as to internationalize the student experience. It will also look for ways to enhance the structure and sustainability of agricultural programs at universities.
• Research – The Initiative will examine and prioritize key collaborative research approaches, topic areas and impact assessments. Possible areas of focus include improved bioproducts; more sustainable use of water and other resources; strengthened systems of pest management; and better understanding of economically viable and environmentally sustainable production systems.
• Service - The Initiative will identify effective, innovative and collaborative approaches that link research results to those who use them such as producers, processors, and marketers of farm goods. Public and private advisory services will be considered.
• Commercial Linkages – The Initiative will look for ways to include private sector suppliers and marketers as participants and funding partners.

9. U.S.-India Energy Dialogue

Growing concerns about energy security have prompted the U.S. and India to launch a new Energy Dialogue that reflects the transformed strategic relationship between the world’s two largest democracies. Adequate and reliable supplies of energy at reasonable cost are essential to fuel India’s rapidly growing economy. The U.S. and India are becoming increasingly reliant upon oil and natural gas markets to satisfy their energy needs. Both nations depend heavily upon domestic supplies of coal for electric power generation and seek to increase their utilization of natural gas, renewable energy and nuclear power as well as pursue energy efficient practices to ensure a balanced and sustainable energy economy that helps preserve a clean environment. The United States and India recognize their mutual interests are best served by working together in a collaborative fashion to ensure stability in global energy markets.

The U.S. – India Energy Dialogue was launched on May 31, 2005. It established five Working Groups along with a Steering Committee to provide oversight. The goals of the Dialogue are to promote increased trade and investment in the energy sector by working with the public and private sectors to further identify areas of cooperation and collaboration. Building upon the broad range of existing cooperation, it is hoped that this effort will help mobilize secure, clean reliable and affordable sources of energy.

The five Working Groups are:

1. Oil and Gas
2. Coal
3. Power and Energy Efficiency
4. New Technologies and Renewable Energy
5. Civil Nuclear

The Oil and Gas Working Group will endeavor to strengthen mutual energy security and promote stable energy markets to ensure adequate supplies of energy that will support desired levels of economic growth. It will additionally work as a forum to exchange information and develop lines of communication for policy coordination in times of market instability, and promote increased trade and investment in the oil and gas sector. The Working Group met in July and agreed on future activities.

The Power and Energy Efficiency Working Group will advance understanding of efficient generation, transmission and distribution of electricity and promote the exchange of information on regulatory policies. It will develop cooperative programs and promote technologies to enhance end-use efficiency with special emphasis on the "last mile" distribution and utilization of electricity in urban and rural networks. It will also conduct cooperation on clean coal preparation and modern coal conversion systems in power generation.

The Coal Working Group will promote the efficient and environmentally responsible use of coal. Its activities will be designed to enhance the understanding of coal-related energy issues and promote the exchange of information on policies, programs, and technologies with special emphasis on coal utilization for power generation and clean fuels production. The Working Group met in July and agreed on future activities.

The New Technology and Renewable Energy Working group will promote the development and deployment of clean, new and renewable energy and technologies leading to enhanced energy security and stable energy markets that will support desired levels of economic growth with appropriate concern for the environment.

The Civil Nuclear Working Group will foster exchanges between the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and India’s Department of Atomic Energy and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board on each country’s peaceful nuclear energy-related initiatives, including national practices, research interests, approaches to regulatory oversight and views of the role of nuclear energy in meeting global energy requirements. These exchanges may include discussions on peaceful applications of fusion science and related fundamental research topics.

10. U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum

U.S. Ambassador Robert Portman and Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath announce the establishment of a new consultative mechanism called "The United States-India Trade Policy Forum," to be chaired by themselves or their Deputies. Other relevant U.S. Government agencies and Indian Ministries will also participate. The Forum will be part of the overall United States-India Economic Dialogue, replacing the Trade Policy Working Group pillar. It will convene on a regular basis.

The Forum will provide an opportunity to work together to expand trade between our two countries. Our governments will consider a wide range of issues of interest to both governments with the expectation of expanding bilateral trade and investment.

The agenda could cover the following subjects: tariff and non-tariff trade barriers; foreign direct investment; subsidies; customs procedures; standards, testing, labeling and certification intellectual property rights protection; sanitary and phytosanitary measures; government procurement; and services. It also offers the opportunity for our governments to work together bilaterally toward a successful outcome of the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations.

11. United States and India Successfully Complete Next Steps in Strategic Partnership

The United States and India have reached a milestone in their strategic relationship by completing the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP). The successful completion of this initiative clears the way for even greater engagement in a number of key areas in which cooperation has previously been limited or non-existent.

The Next Steps in Strategic Partnership, announced in January 2004, was designed to increase cooperation in civilian nuclear activities, civilian space programs, high-technology trade, and missile defense.

Since January 2004, cooperation under the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership progressed through a series of reciprocal steps that built on each other. These steps included expanded engagement on nuclear regulatory and safety issues, enhanced cooperation in missile defense, peaceful uses of space technology, and steps to create the appropriate environment for increased high-technology commerce.

To combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, relevant laws, regulations, and export-related procedures have been strengthened, and measures to increase bilateral and international cooperation in this area were instituted. These cooperative efforts were undertaken in accordance with our respective national laws and international obligations.

The successful completion of the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership is an important milestone in the transformation of the relationship between the United States and India. In particular, completion of the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership will enable the United States to expand the scope of bilateral commercial satellite cooperation, remove U.S. export license requirements for unilaterallycontrolled nuclear items to most end users, and revise export license requirements for certain items going to safeguarded civil nuclear power facilities.

Completion of the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership demonstrates that President Bush’s and Prime Minister Singh’s vision of a U.S.-India strategic partnership is becoming a reality, and paves the way for greater cooperation on strategic, energy security, and economic matters. Our two nations are committed to building upon the progress made since January 2004 and working to identify new ways to expand the growing cooperative relationship.