Washington - In yet another sign of the strong relationship emerging between the two countries, US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced initiatives on Tuesday to expand cooperation to confront a host of issues ranging from fighting terrorism to curtailing climate change. "The relationship between the United States and India will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century," Obama said.
The Singh state visit to the White House is the first of Obama's presidency and a reflection of the importance Washington places on ties to India.
"That's why I have made it a priority to broaden the cooperation between our nations," he added.
US and Indian officials signed a series of agreements. Among them are expanding efforts against terrorism, establishing more educational exchanges, developing clean energy to fight global warming, working to halt the proliferation of dangerous nuclear technology and the coordination of economic policies to promote job growth.
"We have agreed to further intensify our trade, investment and economic cooperation in a way that creates jobs and prosperity in both our two countries and stimulates global economic recovery," Singh said.
The White House meeting came two weeks ahead of the UN-sponsored summit in Copenhagen designed to produce an international treaty for reducing greenhouse gases, regarded as the main cause behind global warming.
Singh's visit will culminate with an elaborate state dinner on the White House lawn Tuesday evening.
Obama and Singh pledged their countries will work closely to develop clean forms of energy to help curtail the threat posed by global warming. Obama said the "clean energy initiative" between the United States and India will help create jobs for establishing more efficient energy sources and promote a more sustainable development on the planet.
Bringing India on board is a key goal for Obama. India has resisted any stiff measures that could hamper its growth as an emerging economic powerhouse.
"We resolved to take significant national mitigation actions that will strengthen the world's ability to combat climate change," Obama said of the meeting. "We agreed to stand by these commitments with full transparency, through appropriate processes, as to their implementation."
Obama and Singh said Tuesday they intend to fully implement a nuclear accord signed by the two countries last year that would allow India to purchase advanced US nuclear-related technology for civilian power and reverses more than 30 years of US policy banning the export of nuclear material.
"Just as we partnered each other in the shaping of the knowledge economy, we have the opportunity today to become partners in developing the green economy of the future," Singh said said.
The accord is seen as the centerpiece of the strong ties emerging between the two countries in recent years after decades of frosty Cold War relations. Singh and Obama's predecessor, George W Bush, agreed to pursue the pact in 2005 to help India quench its growing thirst for energy to meet the vast needs of its fast growing economy.
The deal, however, was controversial because India is not a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is designed to contain the spread of nuclear weapons and dangerous material. Singh said the country was committed to preventing the spread of nuclear material and will fully participate in Obama's summit next year to begin discussion on eliminating atomic weapons.
"India welcomes the renewed the international interest in nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation," Singh said. "We have been a consistent advocate of a world free of nuclear weapons."
The complete honours for Singh during the visit further demonstrates India's crucial role as a power in South Asia and a counterweight to China in the region, although Obama just returned from a major trip to Beijing that was closely watched in New Delhi. Obama said he accepted Singh's invitation to visit India sometime next year.
"Today our nations are two global leaders, driven, not to dominate other nations, but to build a future of security and prosperity for all nations," Obama said at a reception to greet Singh.
Obama also sought to allay Indian concerns about Washington's massive financial assistance to Pakistan, India's bitter rival on the continent but critical to the United States for fighting terrorism along the border with Afghanistan.
"We want to be encouraging of ways in which both India and Pakistan can feel secure and focus on the development of their own countries and their people," Obama said.
Obama expressed his gratitude for India's commitment to Afghanistan. During speeches in Monday, Singh warned against any appeasement to al-Qaeda or the Taliban, arguing that security in Afghanistan and Pakistan is vital to stability in South Asia.
