Obama, Manmohan vow to implement nuclear deal

Reaffirming the "global strategic partnership between India and the United States", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama have vowed to implement their landmark nuclear deal to realise its full potential.

"The two leaders reiterated their intention to realise the full potential of the India-US Agreement for cooperation concerning the peaceful use of nuclear energy through the implementation of its provisions," said a joint statement issued Tuesday after their summit meeting in the Oval office during the prime minister's state visit.

"They agreed to expedite US firms' participation in the implementation of this agreement," the statement said without indicating a time frame.

Regarding transfer of high technology, another key objective of Manmohan Singh's visit, the two leaders "agreed that strengthening high technology trade between their countries is in the spirit of their strategic dialogue and partnership.

"They reiterated their shared commitment to technology security and that it is in their mutual interest to invigorate this area of their partnership," the statement said.

The two leaders committed to continue pursuing mutually beneficial defence cooperation through the existing security dialogue, service-level exchanges, defence exercises, trade and technology transfer and collaboration.

They recognised the scope for cooperation in the areas of non-traditional threats to security, peacekeeping, humanitarian and disaster relief, and maritime security and protecting sea lanes of communication, the statement said. "They agreed to expedite necessary arrangements to facilitate these activities."

Manmohan Singh and Obama also agreed to collaborate in the application of their space technology and related scientific capabilities in outer space and for development purposes, including in the field of agriculture.

Last updated on Nov 25^th, 2009 at 10:42 am IST--IANS