India, US agree to give more strategic depth to relationship

WASHINGTON: India and the US have agreed on giving more strategic depth to their defence cooperation and New Delhi has assured Washington that American armament companies will have a level playing field in the country.

Winding up his four day key visit to the United States, the first by a high Indian politician as the American Congress is to take up for final approval the Indo-US nuclear accord, Defence Minister A K Antony said the two countries held deep discussions on issues like Afghanistan, military to military cooperation and problems connected with military technology transfer from the US.

Though he said the nuclear deal was not a central part of his agenda in talks with Pentagon, Antony said that he had been told by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that she was confident of getting the Indo-US deal approved this year.

The Defence Minister, who was talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function held in his honour by the Indian community here, said he had thanked the US administration for its help in the waiver by the Nuclear Suppliers Group in Vienna.

Antony did not elaborate on problems being faced on technology transfer, however the two countries are yet to ratify the crucial end users agreement under which US has the right of physical verification of weapon systems transferred.

The failure to conclude such an agreement had recently led to delay in delivery of three customised VVIP Boeing executive jets to India.

Antony insisted that his visit had nothing to do with defence procurements, but maintained that American companies will have a level playing field in Indian military orders.