India, US begin talks on strategic ties

US Under Secretary of State for Commerce Kenneth Juster was holding talks with Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and would later meet National Security Adviser J. N. Dixit, Indian and US officials said.

Juster would also meet India's Commerce Secretary S.N. Menon during his two-day visit, the officials said.

The aim of the talks is to find ways to improve ties in the high-tech trade, defence and civilian nuclear sectors and in space programmes, an Indian official said.

On September 17, Washington announced it was lifting nuclear export controls on Indian organisations after New Delhi assured US officials they would address American non-proliferation concerns.

The move was the latest easing of sanctions imposed on New Delhi after it declared itself a nuclear power in 1998.

Those sanctions resulted in a freeze on exchanges in nuclear and other high-tech sectors such as "dual-use technology" which finds applications in both civilian and military use.

Along with lifting the controls, Washington said it would ease export licensing policies to expand bilateral cooperation in commercial space programs.