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SUO MOTU STATEMENT BY EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER IN PARLIAMENT ON
“RECENT VISIT TO INDIA BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA, Ms. HILLARY CLINTON”
Madam Speaker,
I rise to inform the House of the visit of the US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton to India. Secretary of State Clinton held talks with me, and called
on the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition yesterday.
During the visit, we held productive and constructive discussions on global
issues, the situation in our region and on how to enhance our bilateral
partnership.
Our Governments have concluded two important agreements: (i) on creation of a
Science & Technology Endowment Board; and, (ii) a Technical Safeguards
Agreement which will permit the launch of civil or non-commercial satellites
containing US components on Indian space launch vehicles.
We have also agreed on the end-use monitoring arrangements that will
henceforth be referred to in letters of acceptance for Indian procurement of
US defence technology and equipment. This systematizes ad hoc arrangements
for individual defence procurements from the USA entered into by previous
governments.
We have also agreed on a new bilateral dialogue architecture within which we
will continue discussions between our two countries on a wide range of
issues.
The visit has helped to broaden and deepen our bilateral relationship and to
set the terms of future engagement between India and the United States of America.
A copy of the joint statement issued after our discussions is placed on the
Table of the House.
New Delhi
July 21, 2009,
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