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President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed satisfaction with the
great progress the United States and India have made in advancing our strategic partnership to
meet the global challenges of the 21st century. Both our countries are linked by a deep
commitment to freedom and democracy; a celebration of national diversity, human creativity and
innovation; a quest to expand prosperity and economic opportunity worldwide; and a desire to
increase mutual security against the common threats posed by intolerance, terrorism, and the
spread of weapons of mass destruction. The successful transformation of the U.S.-India
relationship will have a decisive and positive influence on the future international system as it
evolves in this new century.
Reviewing the progress made in deepening the global partnership between the United States and
India since their Joint Statement of July 18, 2005, the President and the Prime Minister reaffirm
their commitment to expand even further the growing ties between their two countries. Consistent
with this objective, the two leaders wish to highlight efforts the United States and India are
making together in the following areas, where they have:
FOR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND TRADE
(1) Agreed to intensify efforts to develop a bilateral business climate supportive of trade and
investment by:
1. Welcoming the report of the U.S.-India CEO Forum, agreeing to consider its recommendations
aimed at substantially broadening our bilateral economic relations, and directing the Chairs of
the Indo-U.S. Economic Dialogue to follow up expeditiously with the CEO Forum;
2. Endorsing the efforts of the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum to reduce barriers to trade and
investment with the goal of doubling bilateral trade in three years;
3. Agreeing to advance mutually beneficial bilateral trade and investment flows by holding a
high-level public-private investment summit in 2006, continuing efforts to facilitate and promote
foreign direct investment and eliminate impediments to it, and enhancing bilateral consultations
on various issues including tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade in goods and services, and
preventing the illicit use of the financial system.
(2) Sought to expand cooperation in agriculture by:
1. Launching the Knowledge Initiative on Agriculture with a three-year financial commitment to
link our universities, technical institutions, and businesses to support agriculture education,
joint research, and capacity building projects including in the area of biotechnology.
2. Endorsing an agreed workplan to promote bilateral trade in agriculture through agreements
that: lay out a path to open the U.S. market to Indian mangoes, recognize India as having the
authority to certify that shipments of Indian products to the United States meet USDA organic
standards, and provide for discussions on current regulations affecting trade in fresh fruits and
vegetables, poultry and dairy, and almonds.
(3) Reaffirmed their shared commitment to completing the WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA) before
the end of 2006, and agreed to work together to help achieve this outcome.
FOR ENERGY SECURITY AND A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT
(1) Welcomed the successful completion of discussions on India’s separation plan and looked
forward to the full implementation of the commitments in the July 18, 2005 Joint Statement on
nuclear cooperation. This historic accomplishment will permit our countries to move forward
towards our common objective of full civil nuclear energy cooperation between India and the
United States and between India and the international community as a whole.
(2) Welcomed the participation of India in the ITER initiative on fusion energy as an important
further step towards the common goal of full nuclear energy cooperation.
(3) Agreed on India's participation in FutureGen, an international public-private partnership to
develop new, commercially viable technology for a clean coal near-zero emission power project.
India will contribute funding to the project and participate in the Government Steering Committee
of this initiative.
(4) Welcomed the creation of the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, which
will enable India and the U.S. to work together with other countries in the region to pursue
sustainable development and meet increased energy needs while addressing concerns of energy
security and climate change. The Partnership will collaborate to promote the development,
diffusion, deployment and transfer of cleaner, cost-effective and more efficient technologies and
practices.
(5) Welcomed India's interest in the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, an international marine
research endeavor that will contribute to long-term energy solutions such as gas
hydrates.
(6) Noting the positive cooperation under the Indo-U.S. Energy Dialogue, highlighted plans to
hold joint conferences on topics such as energy efficiency and natural gas, to conduct study
missions on renewable energy, to establish a clearing house in India for coal-bed
methane/coal-mine methane, and to exchange energy market information.
FOR INNOVATION AND THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY
(1) Emphasizing the importance of knowledge partnerships, announced the establishment of a
Bi-National Science and Technology Commission which the U.S. and India will co-fund. It will
generate collaborative partnerships in science and technology and promote industrial research and
development.
(2) Agreed that the United States and India would work together to promote innovation, creativity
and technological advancement by providing a vibrant intellectual property rights regime, and to
cooperate in the field of intellectual property rights to include capacity building activities,
human resource development and public awareness programs.
(3) Agreed to continue exploring further cooperation in civil space, including areas such as
space exploration, satellite navigation, and earth science. The United States and India committed
to move forward with agreements that will permit the launch of U.S. satellites and satellites
containing U.S. components by Indian space launch vehicles, opening up new opportunities for
commercial space cooperation between the two countries.
(4) Welcomed the inclusion of two U.S. instruments in the Indian lunar mission Chandrayaan-1.
They noted that memoranda of understanding to be signed by ISRO and NASA would be significant
steps forward in this area.
(5) Welcomed the U.S. Department of Commerce's plan to create a license exception for items that
would otherwise require an export license to end-users in India engaged solely in civilian
activities.
FOR GLOBAL SAFETY AND SECURITY
(1) Noted the enhanced counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries and stressed that
terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought and rooted out in every part of the world.
(2) Welcomed the increased cooperation between the United States and India in the defense area,
since the New Framework for the U.S.-India Defence Relationship was signed on June 28, 2005, as
evidenced by successful joint exercises, expanded defence cooperation and information sharing,
and greater opportunities to jointly develop technologies and address security and humanitarian
issues.
(3) Reaffirmed their commitment to the protection of the free flow of commerce and to the safety
of navigation, and agreed to the conclusion of a Maritime Cooperation Framework to enhance
security in the maritime domain, to prevent piracy and other transnational crimes at sea, carry
out search and rescue operations, combat marine pollution, respond to natural disasters, address
emergent threats and enhance cooperative capabilities, including through logistics support. Both
sides are working to finalize a Logistics Support Agreement at the earliest.
(4) Welcomed India's intention to join the Container Security Initiative aimed at making global
maritime trade and infrastructure more secure and reducing the risk of shipping containers being
used to conceal weapons of mass destruction.
(5) Reiterated their commitment to international efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction.
(6) Building on the July 2005 Disaster Relief Initiative, noted the important disaster management
cooperation and their improved capabilities to respond to disaster situations.
(7) Recognized the importance of capacity building in cyber security and greater cooperation to
secure their growing electronic interdependencies, including to protect electronic transactions
and critical infrastructure from cybercrime, terrorism and other malicious threats.
DEEPENING DEMOCRACY AND MEETING INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGES
(1) Recalled their joint launch of the UN Democracy Fund in September 2005 and offered the
experience and expertise of both Governments for capacity building, training and exchanges to
third countries that request such assistance to strengthen democratic institutions.
(2) Welcomed the decision of India and the United States to designate a representative to the
Government Advisory Board of the International Centre for Democratic Transition (ICDT) located in
Budapest to facilitate cooperative activities with ICDT.
(3) Agreed that the Virtual Coordination and Information Centres set up in September 2005 should
be further strengthened and a bilateral meeting aimed at developing a practical programme for
utilization of its services be held soon.
(4) Expressed satisfaction at the expedited USFDA drug approval processes that strengthen the
combat against HIV/AIDS at the global level and encourage greater corporate participation to meet
this challenge, including the establishment of the Indo-U.S. Corporate Fund for HIV/AIDS.
(5) Agreed to expand bilateral efforts and continue cooperation in the area of medical research
and strengthen technical capacity in food and drug regulation in India as well as address the
concern on avian influenza, including agreement to reach out to the private sector, develop
regional communications strategies, and plan an in-region containment and response exercise. The
President welcomed India's offer to host the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic
Influenza meeting in 2007.
(6) Welcomed India's membership in the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking, a partnership
through which we will collaborate in the fight against illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife
parts; we also welcome the opportunity to strengthen longstanding work together on the
conservation of wildlife through cooperation on park management and ecotourism.
President Bush thanked Prime Minister Singh and the people of India for the warmth of their
reception and the generosity of their hospitality.
New Delhi
March 2, 2006
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