Manmohan Singh, Obama to chart road ahead in Indo-US ties

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama are expected to chart a road ahead in the bilateral ties, including in civil nuclear cooperation, when they meet in Bali tomorrow during which the situation in Af-Pak region is also likely to figure. 

The meeting between the two leaders, first since the US President visited New Delhi in November last year, is taking place against the backdrop of India notifying the rules of conducting nuclear business with an aim to address apprehensions of American and other foreign companies.

The two leaders would mainly discuss the bilateral relations and how to take these forward, sources said today.

The meeting will provide them an opportunity to review the decisions and outcomes of Obama's visit besides discussing regional issues like the situation in India's neighbourhood.

The sources said the Indo-US relations were in "very good shape" and the two countries were working together on a range of issues, including Afghanistan and Pakistan besides economic crisis in the Eurozone and in the UN Security Council.

To press the point, the sources said considerable progress had been made on implementation of the decisions taken during the visit of Obama to India a year ago.

"It (the relationship) will have to keep evolving" in tune with the new developments taking place in the world, they said.

The implementation of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal is also likely to come up for discussion in the backdrop of India notifying the rules for nuclear business, which among other things makes it clear that there cannot be unlimited or unending liability on part of foreign suppliers.

This is aimed at addressing the apprehensions of foreign companies, including the American ones.

The US has been pressing India to put in place, at the earliest, all rules related to the nuclear commerce in tune with international regulations.
Singh and Obama will be meeting on the sidelines of ASEAN and East Asia Summits in Bali.