Nuke deal empasse won't defuse Indo-US trade from hitting $100 bn

After successfully launching Israeli, German and Canadian satellites, four US satellites are to be launched by Indian launch vehicles. “As part of the collaboration in space technology, four American satellites are to be launched by India in the next two years,” outgoing Consul-General Michael Owen said.

It is not correct to say that Sino-Indian trade is growing rapidly at the cost of Indo-US trade, Owen said. “No doubt Sino-Indian trade is growing fast. Nonetheless, Indo-US trade has more than doubled from $20 billion to $42 billion in three years.”

Bilateral trade doubles every 3-4 years and “our next target is to take to $100 billion,” he said.

Elaborating on the relations, he said, there have been a series of agreements in various fields like energy, agriculture, trade, investment and open sky policies which were not there 15 years back. Owen said the relationship is at two levels — Government to government and between the people — and the relationships will continue to increase.

Talking about collaboration in energy and agriculture, Owen said that during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the US, emphasis was laid on collaboration with Agriculture Knowledge Initiative (AKI) and bringing researchers/ technologists from both countries to improve productivity.

This has to be done by developing new types of technologies, new methods of soil testing, irrigation, developing new types of seeds, crop management, packaging, marketing and storage.

Efforts are on for the last three years to promote AKI and finding the right kind of experts from both countries to work together, he said, adding that it was going to take some time in doing that.

$42 bn The amount of trade between India and the US in the last 3 years

$22 bn The increase in trade in the same period

•US firms are responding to India’s competitive tender for military hardware and fighter aircraft

•American cos are opting for co-production with the Indian companies

•Emphasis laid on collaboration with Agriculture Knowledge Initiative

•After launching Israeli, German and...