The United States under the charismatic President has taken bold initiatives to elevate bilateral relations in several areas, making it the “defining partnership of the 21st century” between two strong democracies and free market economies, where people have “the freedom to pursue ideas and innovations that can change the world”, as the President said. India and USA are “indispensable partners” in meeting the challenges of the new century.

A Joint Statement issued after the extended dialogue between the President and Prime Minister underlined the leaders' commitments on domestic, regional and global issues. One of them is the two countries ensuring security by working together and with others in Asia including East Asia, the Indian Ocean and Pacific regions. The leaders reaffirmed the importance of maritime security, unimpeded commerce, and freedom of navigation, in accordance with relevant universally agreed principles of international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and peaceful settlement of maritime disputes.

India's long quest to gain status as a permanent member of a reformed UN Security Council evoked, for the first time, a positive response from the United States, when President Obama announced in his speech to MPs that “in the years ahead, I look forward to a reformed UN Security Council that includes India as a permanent member”. Meanwhile, he envisaged the two countries partnering for global security as India serves on the Council over the next two years as an elected member.

The Prime Minister has welcomed the President's affirmation though the goal may seem somewhat distant at present unless a consensus on reform package emerges from the UN General Assembly and is backed by the five present permanent members, all of whom are supportive barring veto-holding China which has its reservations. China must also be warily looking at the enlarged vision of US-India peace and security cooperation in Asia, the Indian Ocean and Pacific regions envisaged in the joint statement of two leaders as also at the recurring emphasis on democracy, freedom and human rights in President Obama's speeches all over, carrying an implicit message for China, which continues to detain a Nobel Prize winner.

Very significantly, President Obama announced realignment of India in US export control regulations and removal of Indian organisations from the US Commerce Department's “entity list”, given India's non-proliferation record and commitment to abide by multilateral export control standards. The relaxation would allow greater cooperation in a range of high-tech sectors like civil space and defence. This removes a hurdle to co-operation in research and development beneficial to both countries.

India's decision to purchase US high technology defence items has been welcomed by USA as it reflects strengthening of Indo-US defence relations in the post-cold war world. This and a series of commercial deals with US companies announced in Mumbai on the day of the President's arrival would create over 50,000 jobs back home, meeting one of the objectives of the President's mission to India, a rising power with the world's largest middle class which could absorb US exports of goods and services on a larger scale.

Mr Obama has promised US support to India's full membership of the four multilateral export control regimes including the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The two Governments would further strengthen their defense cooperation including through security dialogue, exercises, and promoting trade and collaboration in defense equipment and technology. India has reaffirmed its unilateral and voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive testing while USA reaffirmed its testing moratorium and its commitment to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and bring it into force at an early date.

A notable initiative on agriculture and food productivity proposes development of replicate transformative technologies to extend food security as part of an Evergreen Revolution. These would be made available to Africa as well. For agricultural productivity, the focus would be on enhancing agricultural value chain and reducing post-harvest crop losses. Under a new bilateral arrangement, enhanced monsoon forecasting would begin to transmit detailed forecasts for farmers from the 2011 monsoon season.

President Obama signalled that USA and India are now ready to begin the civil nuclear agreement which would help meet India's growing energy needs and create thousands of jobs in both the countries. The joint statement embodied the leaders” commitment to build strong India-US civil nuclear energy cooperation through the participation of the US nuclear energy firms in India on the basis of “mutually acceptable technical and commercial terms and conditions that enable a viable tariff regime for electricity generated”.

The statement noted India intended to ratify the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (in regard to liability in accidents) within the coming year and would ensure a level playing field for US companies seeking to enter the Indian nuclear energy sector. The leaders welcomed opening of negotiations and dialogue between the Indian operator and US nuclear energy companies and hoped for early commencement of commercial cooperation in the civil nuclear energy sector in India.

Though President Obama is currently visiting Asia, with a major emphasis on exploring opportunities for promoting greater exports of US goods and services to India and other countries of the dynamic Asian region, he is not going through the best of times at home as midway in his four-year term his Democrats have lost to Republicans in Congress. This has embarrassed Mr Obama who now faces even greater challenges with his plans to restore growth and lay new foundation for the world's largest economy on a sustainable path.

Nevertheless, the President is determined to carry forward his widely-acclaimed commitment to a “comprehensive engagement” with the world based on mutual interest and respect, a central pillar of which is forging deeper cooperation with the “21st century centres of influence” such as India which, he says, is assuming its rightful place in the world. In Asia, he said, USA was again playing a leadership role, strengthening old alliances and deepening relations, as it was doing with China, and joining the East Asia Summit. As two global leaders, the United States and India can partner for global security.

India reaffirmed its unilateral and voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive testing. The United States reaffirmed its testing moratorium and its commitment to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and bring it into force at an early date. On Iran the commitment to diplomacy to resolve the nuclear issue was reaffirmed. The leaders stressed the need for Iran to take “constructive and immediate” steps to meet its obligations to the IAEA and the UN Security Council. (IPA Service)