Nuclear deal transformed Indo-US relationship: Shankar

I / Washington July 14, 2009, 11:30 IST

Asserting that the landmark Indo-US civilian nuclear deal has transformed the relationship between the two countries, Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar today said the two nations are now in the process to implement it.

"Nothing symbolises the transformation of the relationship more than the India-US civil nuclear agreement, signed in October 2008," Shankar said in her address to the prestigious World Affairs Council in San Diego, California.

"Neither government could have persisted with this extraordinary endeavour without a strong belief in the importance of the India-US relationship and without the recognition of the need to address a complex issue which has constrained both our countries from realizing the full potential of our relationship," Shankar said.

The Indo-US agreement, she argued will deepen bilateral ties, create opportunities for US companies and contribute to advancing shared interests on energy security, climate change and non-proliferation. "But, this agreement is as strong on symbolism as it is on substance," she observed.

"It will also provide a foundation for a wider and deeper engagement between our two countries. We are now in the process of implementing the agreement," she said.

Democratic India's rise will, Shankar said, in its own modest way, stand as an affirmation of the universal values of liberty, democracy, pluralism and freedom of enterprise; it would be a factor of stability, security and prosperity in the world, especially in Asia towards which the centre of gravity of future challenges and opportunities is shifting.

"India and the US share many of these concerns and challenges," she said.

Observing that India's neighbourhood is the epicenter of global terrorism, Shankar said behind their different names, the terrorist groups have seamless links, shared ideologies and a common target in free and open societies.

"We have shared stakes in Afghanistan's evolution from instability, and Pakistan's transformation from a safe haven for extremism and terrorism, into stable, democratic, moderate and peaceful states," she said.

Noting that the arc of proliferation around India has irrevocably altered Indo-US collective security, she said the intersection of proliferation and terrorism in India's neighbourhood presents a grave risk to all.  "India and the US have shared more deeply than many other countries the goals of non-proliferation and a nuclear weapons free world.

The civil nuclear agreement has now created a platform for us to cooperate more on advancing our shared goals on non-proliferation," Shankar said.