Ways to reduce barriers to Indo-US high-tech trade as also specific matters in the areas of defence technology, information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology will top the agenda of the two-day meeting of the High Technology Cooperation Group to be held in New Delhi next week.
The November 30 to December 1 meeting will also discuss export control policies, US Under Secretary of Commerce David McCormick, who will be leading the high-level delegation from the departments of commerce, state and defence, told reporters in Washington on Tuesday.
The US team which will include a top-level industry team drawn from the four listed areas will meet Indian officials in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai.
The talks will focus on Indo-US trade in defence technology, information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology, he said, adding that the HTCG is a "really candid dialogue where each side comes with very specific data and the discussions which are very fact-based and productive."
"The primary topics for this visit will be continued discussion on export control regulations and policies on both sides, how we can, where appropriate, liberalise those to meet the growing needs of the relationship and at the same time be very focussed on our joint non-proliferation goals and gaining confidence that our technologies of both sides are not finding in the hands of wrong players," he said.
The commerce department official emphasised that the upcoming meet does not have a particular focus on the civilian nuclear energy cooperation but perhaps only as it dealt with aspects of sensitive technology.
The civilian nuclear cooperation "deal" between Washington and New Delhi is not a primary focus, McCormick said.
Under the agreement, reached between President George W Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 18, the US would lift restrictions on the supply of reactors and fuel for India's civilian nuclear programme provided New Delhi fulfilled a series of obligations.
The Entities List will be an issue of interest and discussion, he said, adding, "that of course has been an issue of interest and focus for the Government of India and I am sure it will be part of our dialogue."
Pressed on for details, he said "I expect it to be an important part of our dialogue."
Lauding India for having passed legislation on weapons of mass destruction, he said: "It is important to say that the passage of the WMD law was a terrific symbolic and tangible action of the commitment" that New Delhi has taken, adding ". . . the obvious question is how it is implemented to continue to deliver against the objectives the government has stated."
McCormick stressed that Washington looked at the memorandum of understanding on the end-use verification or checks as a very important step forward.
"I think the United States government believes that the MoU is a very important step forward and an important mechanism for laying the groundwork for facilitating growth in high-tech trade," he said.
McCormick said that the HTCG discussions over the last three years or so and the ongoing parallel dialogues have had an impressive impact on bilateral trade with American exports having nearly doubled from $4 billion to $7.5 billion in the period.
