India and US agree defence pact, approve nuclear sites

India and US agree defence pact, approve nuclear sites, NEW DELHI: India and the United States agreed Monday a defence pact that will boost US arms sales here, as New Delhi also approved sites for two US nuclear reactors, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

At a joint press conference with Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, Clinton said the two sides had agreed an "end-use monitoring" accord that would provide safeguards for the sale of highly sophisticated US weaponry to India.

The agreement "will pave the way for greater defence cooperation" Clinton said, adding that India had also approved two sites for the construction of US nuclear reactors.

U.S. Secretary of State, at the end of her first visit to India as Washington's top diplomat, said Delhi had also approved two sites for U.S. companies to build nuclear power plants.

The two agreements gave Clinton tangible accomplishments from a trip designed to deepen ties and demonstrate U.S. President Barack Obama's commitment to India's emergence as a player on the global stage.

"We have agreed on the end-use monitoring arrangement which would refer to … Indian procurement of U.S. defence technology and equipment," India's External Affairs Minister, S.M. Krishna, told a joint news conference with Clinton.

Known as an "end-use monitoring" agreement and required by U.S. law for such weapons sales, the pact would let Washington check that India was using any arms for the purposes intended and was preventing the technology from leaking to others.

India is expected to spend more than $30 billion over the next five years on upgrading its largely Soviet-made arsenal, roughly a third of which will be a contract to buy 126 multi-role fighters.

That could prove a boon to U.S. companies like Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co.

The two companies are competing with Russia's MiG-35, France's Dassault Rafale, Sweden's Saab JAS-39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, made by a consortium of British, German, Italian and Spanish firms.

In her talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, Clinton said he accepted an invitation for him to make a state visit to Washington on Nov. 24.

A State Department official said on condition of anonymity that Singh would be the first foreign leader to make a state visit under Obama, another mark of the relationship's importance to the United States.

Clinton also said New Delhi had approved two nuclear sites reserved for U.S. companies, part of a landmark civilian nuclear agreement the United States and India signed last year.

"I am also pleased that Prime Minister Singh told me that sites for two nuclear parks for U.S. companies have been approved by the government."

U.S. officials estimate that the nuclear sites represent up to $10 billion in business for U.S. nuclear reactor builders such as General Electric Co. and Westinghouse Electric Co, a subsidiary of Japan's Toshiba Corp.

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Cheerleaders in IPL are like item numbers in movies

Indian Premier League (IPL) opening ceremony in Bangalore Friday was an eye-popping event and with the cheerleaders from Washington Redskins performing, a new word will be added to the cricketing lexicon.

Satish Prabhu, a chartered accountant with an audit firm in Mumbai, feels the glamour element will play a key role in attracting the crowds.

'Scanty clothes and white skins always grab attention in India. Unfortunately, it might actually result in overshadowing of the poor cricketers. We may have to hunt for them on the screen behind these attractive cheerleaders,' he said.

Kshama Acharya, a housewife, felt Twenty20 cricket form of cricket is of pure entertainment value than sporting one.'

'I think it will be good to have some entertainment for the crowd. Anyway, there is no technique involved in this form of game; all you have to do is hit the ball,' she said.

She added if the IPL is glitzy, then why not add more glitter to it by bringing on cheerleaders?

'In the past few days all I have seen on television are Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta. Even the players are conspicuous by their virtual absence from the scenario, they are hardly seen in the promotional events that we are bombarded with.'

Shantanu Rao, a fashion designer, feels that the cheerleaders' performance is going to be like an item number in the Bollywood movies.

'This is definitely a new trend in India and there will be many people who will be allured by the skin show rather than the games and sports,' he said.

Cricket enthusiast and statistician Dukul Pandya feels that a new chapter is opening in Indian cricketing history with the IPL.

'However, no cricket lover expected that there would be alien 'tamasha' like cheerleaders. It will definitely distract the viewers but wonder what will happen to the cricketers?' Pandya said.

Ajay Punjabi, a student, opines that cheerleaders may not distract the true lovers of cricket, as India is very passionate about the game.

'I am sure the television will be showing the game live with bits of cheerleader during breaks,' he said.

Riddhi Oza, an executive with a multinational company, feels that IPL has made a mockery of the game. 'Cheerleaders seem to be the main attraction than the sport, which we have been following since decades,' she rued.

'Cheerleaders in IPL are like item numbers in movies'

Govt to implement OBC quota verdict

New Delhi, April 13: Despite reservations from allies on the creamy layer issue, the government has said it would implement the Supreme Court verdict on the OBC quota issue and does not want to seek a review of the judgement.

At the same time, HRD Minister Arjun Singh sought to mollify allies upset over the exclusion of creamy layer saying the government as also the UPA favoured reservation benefit for the creamy layer.

"The Supreme Court verdict is implementable and it will be implemented," Singh said in an interview, asserting that the process would be initiated in the coming academic session the extent possible.

Singh steered clear of the demands by allies, including DMK, for a "fair and just" review of the parameters that would define the creamy layer. "It has been very carefully done. The overall structure of the judgement is very positive," he said.

Asked whether government has plans to go for a review of the verdict, he said he does not want to speculate.

"There is no such thing at present," he said when asked whether government would seek reference of the issue to a larger SC bench.

"The basic issue has been resolved. There are differences on the creamy layer issue. We will try to sort out differences by discussions," he said, adding a meeting of UPA co-ordination committee was likely soon after the reconvening of Parliament session on april 15.

Singh said the government's strategy was to implement whatever is implementable and decide on rest of the matters after discussions.

President leaves for Latin America

Aiming to further strengthen ties with the Latin American countries, President Pratibha Patil on Saturday embarked on a maiden visit to Brazil, Mexico and Chile during which she would address Parliaments, sign two agreements and interact with the business communities.

Patil was seen off at the airport by Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his senior Cabinet colleagues, chiefs of the three services and top bureaucrats.

The 13-day visit is in response to invitations from the Presidents of the three friendly countries.

Besides holing meetings with her counterparts, Patil would be addressing Parliaments in Brazil and Mexico, interacting with members of judiciary, Indian community and attending business meetings. An Indian business delegation is accompanying the President to the three countries.

Union Minister of State (independent charge) V Mutemwar is also accompanying the President on her first foreign visit after she assumed charge in July last year.

The fact that Patil has chosen to pay her first state visit to Latin America is reflective of the importance India attaches to further strengthening its partnership with countries of the dynamic continent, Secretary (West) in External Affairs Ministry Nali Suri said.

In the past, the problem of connectivity has acted as an obstacle in greater interaction between the two sides. While physical connectivity remains an impediment, trade and economic interaction is growing rapidly. This is not only because of the greater global interest and outreach of Indian public and private sector companies, but also because of the new dynamics of south-south cooperation.

India`s relations with all the three countries the President is visiting have been dynamically developing over the last few years.