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Indo-US cooperation in space, nuclear and technology trade is set to scale unprecedented heights with several high level interactions, most significant being the visit of the chairman of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) Dr Richard A Meserve to India.
Discussion on the three issues (space, nuclear and technology), which diplomats call the Trinity Issues, received a boost during last week's talks between a US delegation led by Under Secretary of Commerce Kenneth I Juster and Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal.
The two sides decided to set up an Indo-US High Technology Cooperation Group to deal with Trinity Issues.
A senior Indian diplomat said attempts to boost cooperation on Trinity Issues would peak during Meserve's visit.
The USNRC, an independent federal regulatory agency responsible for licensing and regulating nuclear facilities and nuclear materials, would play a key role in the burgeoning cooperation between the two countries on Trinity Issues.
"Meserve has been authorised by the US administration to hold discussions on cooperation in safeguarding nuclear facilities," the diplomat said.
Meserve's discussions with his Indian counterparts would centre on immediate US assistance for India's nuclear installations, which are purely for civilian purpose. Meserve is expected within the next two months.
The other area of cooperation would be in space programmes for civilian use. Indian Space Research Organisation chief Kasturirangan had visited NASA in October to hold discussions on the possible areas of cooperation.
"The immediate areas where we hope to receive American assistance are in remote sensing, disaster management, expansion of space applications to remote areas and extensive deployment of the Global Positioning System for various social activities," a senior Indian official involved in last week's discussions said.
India and US are also planning to carry out extensive awareness programmes for private industry and Indian government departments about the possibilities in technology trade between the two countries.
Ever since the US sanctions following 1998 nuclear tests, the two sides have had no contacts where space, nuclear and technology issues were concerned.
"After the sanctions were lifted in September last year, thing are different, unfortunately most Indian departments and private ventures are not aware of the possibilities," a senior official said.
Officials said India would continue to try and convince the American establishment to remove Indian companies off the Entities List, which involves mandatory licences for all dealings with US companies.
Among the companies that continue to remain on the list are some labs of the DRDO, Bharat Electronics Limited, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Bharat Dynamics.
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