Barack Obama visit ideal for Indo-US energy cooperation: Expert

WASHINGTON: Ahead of President Barack Obama's trip to India, a top US energy expert has said the upcoming visit is a "golden opportunity" for the two nations to join hands in the energy sector and address the key issue of climate change.

Obama is scheduled to visit India to attend the annual Republic Day celebrations on January 26 as its Chief guest at the invitation of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Energy is likely to be a major part of the discussion between the two leaders, said Raymond Vickery, who served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Development in the Clinton Administration, where he was responsible for India in the Department's Big Emerging Markets initiative.

"I have no doubt that the (US) President coming as the Chief Guest for the Republic Day on January 26 is a golden opportunity for the US and India to come together on this (energy sector)," Vickery, who recently wrote a book "India Energy: The Struggle for Power" told PTI in an interview.

Arguing that two countries "needs to engage in energy sector across the board", Vickery who is known as a leading advisor concerning US-India relations said energy will be one of the important discussion points between Obama and Modi.

Observing that on climate change the focus is now on India, after the recent US-China deal on it and the developments in Lima - Vickery, felt that India can do the same sort of thing that China has done without really hampering the prospects for economic growth.

"Climate change ought to be seen and dealt with, to be part of meeting India's energy crisis and not separately," Vickery said.

"There needs to be deal between India and the US in getting the technology and financing on commercially viable basis between the two countries. That should go along with whatever is being discussed in regard to climate change," he said.

Vickery said that the new Indian government is "off to a good start" on the energy sector, but the kind of reforms needed has not happened yet.