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India and the US Wednesday held intensive discussions on energy, particularly focussing on civil nuclear cooperation and signing of three memorandum of understanding on cooperation in oil and natural gas sector.
At the talks between Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and US Under Secretary of Energy David Garman in New Delhi, the two sides agreed to give priority to the American collaboration in drilling for gas hydrates and consider pilot projects in coal preparation and coal liquefaction.
A workshop on civil nuclear cooperation that will take place in the US later in 2006 building on such an event held successfully in Mumbai in January was considered by Saran and Garman as they co-chaired the second meeting of the Steering Committee on Energy Dialogue.
They also talked about a major energy efficiency conference involving industry of both countries to take place in India in the middle of 2006, the external affairs ministry said in a statement.
The meeting discussed efforts to ensure a strong US participation at the Natural Gas Conference in India in May 2006, it said.
Issues like solar-thermal and wind energy to be priorities in the non-conventional energy sector, setting up of a clearing house for coal bed methane and coal mine methane were also discussed.
The American side gave a briefing on the recently unveiled Global Nuclear Energy Partnership that focusses on commercial recycling technologies designed to expand nuclear power production while addressing environmental concerns with regard to waste management and minimising proliferation risks.