U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Christina Rocca outside South Block in New Delhi on Oct. 21, ahead of talks with Indian officials as part of the ongoing strategic dialogue between New Delhi and Washington. (Photo: AFP)

New Delhi : India and the United States drew up a framework for the second phase of their dialogue on hi-tech cooperation that a senior U.S. official said would be carried forward irrespective of the outcome of the presidential election.

“Both countries are motivated to move forward,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Christina Rocca told reporters after a meeting of the Implementation Group of what is known as the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) on Oct. 21.

The NSSP, which was initiated by the two countries in January, envisages narrowing down of differences over non-proliferation and facilitating the flow of advanced technologies, including for the civilian space and nuclear programs, from the U.S. to India. It also envisages cooperation in missile defense.

The Oct. 21 talks, on the second phase of NSSP, related to “essentially harmonizing export control regimes” which required changes in both countries, Rocca said.

“We have moved forward to a phase where many of the barriers that had separated us have come down,” she said, adding the dialogue on NSSP marked an “important policy shift” for both countries.

“We are talking about sensitive technology. This is a whole step forward,” she said.

“Our hope is that having come as far as we have... our hope is that it will continue even if there is change of government,” she said in response to a question whether the NSSP dialogue would be affected if there is a change in the administration after the Nov. 2 U.S. presidential election.

She said both countries were beefing up technology exports as they shared “very serious and valid concerns of technology falling into the hands of terrorists.”

“We are both committed to ensure that this does not happen,” she said when asked if the export control of sensitive technology would also apply to indigenous Indian technology as well as Indian scientists working abroad.

While Rocca headed the U.S. delegation, S. Jaishankar, joint secretary (Americas) led the Indian team to the talks.

“The group made substantial progress on the implementation of Phase-I of NSSP and held discussions on Phase-II. The next meeting of the group will be held shortly,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The conclusion of the first phase of the NSSP was marked by the U.S. partially easing export controls on supply of equipment and technology for India’s civilian space and nuclear programs.

The U.S. announcement came on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s talks with President George W. Bush in New York in September. Their talks were followed by a visit by Under Secretary of Commerce Kenneth Juster here for talks with Indian officials."