President Obama has stated US is working on matters related to the transfer of dual use technology to India. Obama maintained that such technology was already being given; however, India complains that such technology meant for civil and military use, had been denied to them previously. Some American entities had been suspicious that the technology can be misused for military purposes, particularly for nuclear weapons program.
A top Pentagon official, Ash Carter, has been assigned to sort out differences on high-tech exports and will visit India later this month. His trip also includes visits to Hawaii, Guam, Japan, Thailand and South Korea. Earlier, Leon Panetta had commented that Carter would lead the effort to further streamline the bureaucratic processes to “make defense trade more simple, more responsive and more effective,” by relaxing the trade barriers.
Reportedly, the purpose of Carter’s trip is to engage key US allies in detailed discussions over US strategy in the Asia-Pacific.
“The purpose of the visit is to engage key allies and partners in detailed discussions on what the US military’s approach to the Asia-Pacific will mean in practice,” Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.
Carter will explore how the US Department of Defense and militaries of the region “can work more closely together to ensure security and prosperity in the 21st century,” he added.
These developments have taken place as concerns were raised recently in the US and India that the strategic ties between the two countries have not lived up to expectations.
