US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson today urged India to proceed with the civilian nuclear deal and to take a leadership role in stalled global trade talks by opening more of its economy.

Paulson, who will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi tomorrow, said the US believes the deal is important for India’s economic growth, energy security and environmental protection.

“You all have to work through your own internal political decision. That’s up to India,” Paulson told reporters after handing over smart cards for e-payments to residents of Amtala in South 24-Parganas. “Again, we think this is a very important deal and I would just encourage you to move forward as quickly as possible.”

Jostling by photographers prevented him from addressing the press after a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. But in a statement later, Paulson said: “The CM and I discussed the nuclear deal. The US believes it will help meet its energy and environmental objectives... We respect India’s democratic process and we hope India will decide to implement the agreement as soon as possible.”

He said he received a warm reception on the subject of the stalled Doha round of trade talks. He said leaders in India and other developing countries would have to deal with resistance to reforms brought about by a Doha deal that could cost jobs in certain industries, adding that economies that are opened to competition outperform those that stay closed.

US officials, CEOs head for India

NEW DELHI:American CEOs and experts are heading to India to participate in a series of conferences to identify emerging markets and investment opportunities. World Bank chief Robert Zoellick, US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and CEOs Michael Dell of Dell Inc, Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs and Richard Parsons of Time Warner will be in Delhi and Mumbai.