New delhi,July 19 :A SUMPTUOUS lunch will be organised for US secretary of state Hillary Clinton at the Capital’s Hyderabad House following Tuesday’s second round of strategic dialogue, that promises to be exhaustive.
Clinton will be served North Indian cuisine.
The probable starters include Murg Malai kebab, Gosht Seekh kebab, Paneer Tikka and cucumber soup.
The main course will be chosen from among lamb gravy, chicken biryani , chicken masala , stuffed potatoes, black lentils, mixed vegetables & other vegan dishes. Fresh fruits and rabri will be served for dessert.
The issues that both countries will seek to address during the talks
INDIA’S WISHLIST
PAKISTAN:
India wants the US to push Pakistan to dismantle its existing terror infrastructure, stop cross- border infiltration into J& K, hunt fugitives on the list handed over by New Delhi and expedite the glacial pace of the 26/ 11 trial. The US has done little so far, aiming to maintain its own strategic interests in Pakistan.
ACCESS TO HIGH TECHNOLOGY & COOPERATION IN R& D
: Seven months after the DRDO & ISRO subsidiaries were taken off the US’s banned entities list, the ‘ control regime’ is still in place; no relaxation has been observed, though the US claims otherwise.
COUNTER- TERROR & INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION:
This will be a key issue during Tuesday’s dialogue. While the US is seeking access for its homeland security firms, India rues that the US is unwilling to share intelligence on terror- related issues, including revelations by David Headley.
NUCLEAR DEAL & NSG- ENR TECHNOLOGY:
The new NSG guidelines banning Enrichment & Reprocessing ( ENR) technologies to non- NPT signatory countries such as India could emerge as a point of contention. The US says it is committed to the NSG waiver granted to India in 2008. But India wants the process for membership to all four non- proliferation groups — NSG, Missile Technology Control Regime, Australia Group and Wassenaar Arrangement — to begin simultaneously.
AFGHANISTAN & TALIBAN RECONCILIATION:
While India now supports a reconciliation plan for the Taliban as the US prepares to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan this year, it is opposed to a simple power- sharing formula to prevent the backdoor entry of anti- India and pro- Pak Taliban figures such as the Haqqanis.
THE U. S. DEMANDS
ENTRY FOR AMERICAN NUCLEAR FIRMS INTO THE INDIAN MARKET:
Almost three years after the Indo- US nuclear deal, American firms are yet to enter India’s nuclear market, where France & Russia are thought to have an edge. But the US seeks relaxation in India’s nuclear liability law to enable its nuclear firms to enter the Indian market.
GREATER ACCESS IN INSURANCE, BANKING, RETAIL & FINANCIAL REFORMS:
The US wants its companies to be given greater access in areas such as insurance, banking and retail. The Indian government has told the US that while Bills for reforms in the mutual funds market, insurance sector, banking sector & pension have been introduced in Parliament, it lacks the numbers to get the Bills through.
DEFENCE CONTRACTS:
The US is eyeing India’s defence market. The US may have lost out on a 126- fighter jet deal but it hopes to win contracts worth $ 30 billion in the next few years. But despite the US’s insistence, there has been no progress in signing the Communication and Interoperability Security Memorandum of Agreement, the Logistics Support Agreement & the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement. The US, unlike Europe, does not fully transfer its technology while selling defence equipment.
INDO- PAK TIES:
Pakistan remains central to Indo- US relations. The current downslide in US- Pak ties and the momentum in Indo- Pak ties will be part of the strategic dialogue. New Delhi seeks an oversight mechanism for the US military and counter- terror aid to Pakistan to prevent its use against India.
IRAN & EAST- ASIA:
The US wants India to limit its ties with Iran. But New Delhi wants to engage with Iran for its interests in Afghanistan. Oil payment issue under the US and UN sanctions on Iran has also emerged as a headache for India.