New Delhi - United States and India Sunday held "fruitful" discussions on fighting climate change and said it was possible to narrow differences and work towards reaching an international agreement on the issue later this year. US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton who flew into New Delhi from India's western metropolis of Mumbai, held talks with Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and other senior Indian officials at a closed-door conference on climate change.
"Addressing climate change and achieving economic growth in our view are compatible goals," Clinton told reporters after the meeting in the Delhi suburb of Gurgaon.
"I'm very confident - and even more so after the discussions we just had - that the US and India can devise a plan that will dramatically change the way we produce, consume and conserve energy and in the process spark an explosion of new investment and millions of jobs."
Washington is looking forward to a summit in Copenhagen in December that seeks to reach a new international pact on climate change to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
Differences between developed countries and India and China are the main stumbling block in reaching the new agreement.
Carbon emissions are a sensitive subject for the Asian giants, which have refused cuts saying developed countries must reduce their emissions first.
Ramesh made it clear that although India will not accept legally binding emission reduction targets, it was not oblivious to its reponsibilities in the context of the incremental addition to greenhouse gases.
"I agree with Madam Secretary of State it is possible for us to narrow our positions," Ramesh said.
"It is possible for us to have an international agreement that recognizes common but differentiated responsibilities. And which also involves credible actions by countries like India and China to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in future."
Clinton, accompanied by US special climate envoy Todd Stern, will hold further talks with Indian officials on Monday on climate change, which is a priority for the Obama administration.
There was heavy security in New Delhi for Clinton's visit with nearly 2,000 police and intelligence officials, besides commandos from the elite National Security Guards, anti-sabotage teams and air surveillance.
Clinton is due to hold talks with Indian leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Monday to strengthen the India-US strategic partnership and discuss a host of bilateral, regional and global issues.
Counter-terrorism, nuclear trade and climate tops Clinton's agenda for talks. The two sides are expected to discuss economic and defence ties and invigorating cooperation in fields of clean energy, agriculture, science and education.
