Manmohan Singh To Hold Official Visit to USA

Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 12:58 pm

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is starting his official visit to the United States on Saturday.

Singh is expected to discuss anti-terrorism efforts, nuclear power cooperation, and bilateral strategic partnership as well as sign a number of agreements with U.S. colleagues.

Construction of nuclear power plants in India will be important on the talks’ agenda, as despite the signing in 2008 of a bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement, work has not started yet.

One of the obstacles on the way to start implementing the agreement is Indian laws on compensations during accidents on NPPs.

U.S. companies General Electric and Westinghouse Electric entitled to build power plants in India insist that payments in such cases be limited saying financial opportunities of private companies cannot be compared to those of Russian and French state corporations working or being about to start working in India.

India, in turn, hopes the U.S. lifts restrictions on handing India fuel processing technologies.

The sides will also discuss the situation in Pakistan.

Singh is expected to meet with State Secretary Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other U.S. top officials.