The United States and India have reached a milestone in their strategicrelationship by completing the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP). Thesuccessful completion of this initiative clears the way for even greaterengagement in a number of key areas in which cooperation has previously beenlimited or non-existent.
The Next Steps in Strategic Partnership, announced in January 2004, wasdesigned to increase cooperation in civilian nuclear activities, civilian spaceprograms, high-technology trade, and missile defense.
Since January 2004, cooperation under the Next Steps in Strategic Partnershipprogressed through a series of reciprocal steps that built on each other. Thesesteps included expanded engagement on nuclear regulatory and safety issues,enhanced cooperation in missile defense, peaceful uses of space technology, andsteps to create the appropriate environment for increased high-technologycommerce.
To combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, relevant laws,regulations, and export-related procedures have been strengthened, and measuresto increase bilateral and international cooperation in this area wereinstituted. These cooperative efforts were undertaken in accordance with ourrespective national laws and international obligations.
The successful completion of the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership is animportant milestone in the transformation of the relationship between the UnitedStates and India. In particular, completion of the Next Steps in StrategicPartnership will enable the United States to expand the scope of bilateralcommercial satellite cooperation, remove U.S. export license requirements forunilaterallycontrolled nuclear items to most end users, and revise exportlicense requirements for certain items going to safeguarded civil nuclear powerfacilities.
Completion of the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership demonstrates thatPresident Bush’s and Prime Minister Singh’s vision of a U.S.-India strategicpartnership is becoming a reality, and paves the way for greater cooperation onstrategic, energy security, and economic matters. Our two nations are committedto building upon the progress made since January 2004 and working to identifynew ways to expand the growing cooperative relationship.
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