India, US working on reducing differences on export control

NEW DELHI: Ahead of President Barack Obama's visit here on November 6, India and the US are working on reducing differences on American export control of dual-use items with an aim of fine-tuning the regime for India's benefit.

India has also told the US that it is ready to sign the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC) on nuclear damages and allayed concerns of the American companies on account of the newly-enacted Nuclear Liability law while making it clear that there could be no tampering with it.

Obama will undertake a three-day visit covering Mumbai and Delhi during which the two countries will discuss a wide range of bilateral issues aimed at further strengthening ties, particularly in economic and strategic affairs.

Issues related to strengthening of visa rules by the US and growing protectionism are among the issues that the Indian side is expected to flag during the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama.

On India's concerns with regard to US export control regime, sources said the two countries are working on this issue so as to finetune it to India's benefit.

The US has been allowing transfer of dual-use items on case-to-case basis and the clearance is as high as 98.2 per cent, at par with countries like the UK and more than that for even Israel.

India wants such items to be allowed to be transferred without the requirement of clearances and the US is undertaking a India-specific review of its policy, the soures said.