India thanks US for hi-tech ban lift

New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday thanked USA for lifting controls on export of high technology items and technologies to India, and also for supporting its membership in Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

?We welcome the decision by the United States to lift controls on export of high technology items and technologies to India, and support India?s membership in multilateral export control regimes such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group,? Singh said at a joint press conference with US President Barack Obama at Hyderabad House here.

?This is a manifestation of the growing trust and confidence in each other. We have agreed on steps to expand our cooperation in the space, civil nuclear, defence and other high end sectors,? he said.

Singh said India and US have announced specific initiatives in the areas of clean energy, health and agriculture.

?These include a Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Centre, the establishment of a Global Disease Detection Centre in India and an agreement for cooperation in weather and crop forecasting. We have decided to hold a Higher Education Summit next year.?

?Cooperation in the education sector holds great promise because no two other countries are better equipped to be partners in building the knowledge economy of the future,? the Prime Minister said.