For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 18, 2005

The United States and India, Strong Global Partners

FACT SHEET

President Bush And Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Today Demonstrated Their Resolve To Strengthen The Relationship Between India And The United States And Establish A Global Partnership. Together, the two countries will provide global leadership in areas of mutual interest and concern. President Bush also accepted an invitation by Prime Minister Singh to visit India.

Background: Building on their common values and mutual vision for the U.S.-India relationship and our joint objectives as strong longstanding democracies, the two leaders laid out eight major initiatives:

• Completion Of The Next Steps In Strategic Partnership (NSSP) Initiative. The NSSP encompasses cooperation in commerce in space, civil nuclear energy, and dual-use technology.

• A Revitalized U.S.-India Economic Dialogue Covering Trade, Finance, The Environment, And Commerce. This dialogue will include a new CEO Forum, an advisory group comprised of top U.S. and Indian CEOs, to harness private sector energy and to provide guidance on how to deepen the bilateral economic relationship. This initiative will help expand trade and investment links between the two countries.

• A U.S.-India Energy Dialogue To Strengthen Energy Security And Promote Stable Energy Markets. The dialogue will aim to ensure adequate energy and affordable supplies while addressing relevant environmental concerns. It will include five working groups to discuss common action on oil and gas, coal, energy efficiency, new and renewable technologies, and civil nuclear energy.

• An Initiative To Enhance Joint Activities In Space Cooperation. The effort will include in-space navigation and cooperation in the commercial space arena, through such mechanisms as the U.S.-India Working Group on Civil Space Cooperation. Immediate benefits will include launching two U.S. instruments on the Indian Chandrayaan-1 mission to the moon, and working to include an Indian astronaut in the U.S. astronaut training program. The two nations also expressed the readiness to expand cooperation on the Global Positioning System (GPS).

• A U.S.-India Global Democracy Initiative To Aid Developing Democracies. The Democracy Initiative will assist other societies in transition seeking to become more open and democratic. The two nations will support the UN Democracy Fund with major contributions to provide assistance to build democratic institutions and develop appropriate human resources.

• A U.S.-India Disaster Response Initiative. This effort will build on the successful coordination undertaken by the Tsunami Core Group, which the U.S. and India were founding members of, during last December's relief efforts. The initiative will establish an ongoing effort to prepare for and conduct disaster relief operations in the Indian Ocean region and beyond, drawing upon other contributors as appropriate, and will establish a military-to-military partnership.

• A U.S.-India HIV/AIDs Partnership. Coordinated alliances between U.S. and Indian companies and their governments will mobilize large resources from the private sector to support prevention, care, and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDs.

• A U.S.-India Agricultural Alliance. This joint effort will focus on promoting teaching, research, service, and commercial linkages that lead to developing and using innovations to achieve economic, social, and environmental benefits. The initiative will conduct academic, research, outreach, and partnership programs.

# # #