[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
[February 24, 2006]
[Pages 352-355]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Interview With Doordarshan of India
February 24, 2006
India-U.S. Relations
Q. Well, Mr. President, how is your strategy partnership with India
is going to shape up during the forthcoming visit?
The President. Well, first of all, our strategic partnership had a
great start, or a great impetus, when your Prime Minister came to visit here in Washington. We had a wonderful
visit. And one of the important things about diplomacy is to get to know
your counterpart. And I got to know the Prime Minister and admire him as
really a decent fellow who is smart and capable.
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And this visit will help foster not only the personal relationship,
though, but a strategic partnership that is growing all the time. And
it's one that is very important for the American people and, I think,
the people of India. This relationship between the United States and
India can produce good results for our people but also will enable us to
achieve some international objectives as well.
Civilian Nuclear Power Program in India
Q. Well, in the context of excellent bilateral relations, which you
have just mentioned, I think, what's your take on the civilian nuclear
program?
The President. Well, it's a tough issue. It's a tough issue for the
Prime Minister; I understand that, and it's a
tough issue for me. I knew it was going to be a hard issue, because we
have to convince--both of us have to convince our respective people it's
in the interest to have a civilian nuclear program supported by the
United States and India, as well as a civilian nuclear program that's
separate from a military program in India.
And I understood the politics was going to be difficult, and there's
still work to be done. We've just got to continue to come up with an
agreement that both of us can live with. But the relationship is broader
than just the civilian nuclear issue. I've told the American people, we
want India to develop a civilian nuclear power program. We're all, kind
of, connected globally, particularly when it comes to the price of
energy. And the more nuclear power used by great emerging democracies
and economies like India, the better off we'll all be.
Q. Well, there's an impression, as reflected in the U.S. media, that
you are surrendering your interests while proposing to supply civilian
nuclear technology to India. What do you tell them?
The President. Well, I tell them it's in the interests of the world
that India have a nuclear power industry. On the other hand, it's also
very important for India to understand our concerns about making sure
that there's a--that a civilian program is separate from the military,
and there's the IAEA safeguards. And again, we're breaking some new
ground. I'm not surprised that it's difficult to reach a consensus. And
we'll keep trying and working at it.
The key thing is, though, that the people of India understand that
our relationship is a vital relationship. And it's vital on a variety of
fronts. It's vital when it comes to commerce and trade and prosperity;
it's vital on fighting the war on terror. I mean, the people of India
know what terror is all about; you've been hit before. And it's vital on
working together to achieve a more peaceful world. And so I'm really
looking forward to this trip. It's going to be exciting for us.
War on Terror
Q. I think the--terrorism is one area--a joint working group has
been working excellently, even before the unfortunate incident of 9/11,
between India and U.S. But the terrorist training camps and training
infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has not been totally
dismantled. How about a--and from the Pak-Afghan border, sir, also,
troops are being--your troops are being targeted. So how----
The President. Well, listen, I understand the war on terror is
universal, and it's very important for all of us to work together to
stop the advance and the goals of these terrorists. And you bring up
Pakistan; it's an interesting moment in our relationships with each
other. It used to be that if America were close to Pakistan, then the
Indian Government----
Q. Yes, that zero-sum game, that is over.
The President. It was zero-sum. And now I think President
Musharraf understands that it's important
for me to have a good relationship with India and vice versa. Prime
Minister Singh understands. And we do have a
good relationship with both. But on my trip to Pakistan, I will of
course talk about the terrorist activities, the need
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to dismantle terrorist training camps and to protect innocent life,
because one of the real dangers of the terrorist movement is that
they'll kill innocent people to achieve an objective. And India and
President Musharraf, as well as our country, cares deeply about innocent
life. We respect human life.
Trade With India
Q. Now about trade and commerce, which we are mentioning. Well, in
your Asia Society speech--I attended; I heard it, was a spectacular
speech you made.
The President. Thank you.
Q. So you talked about this Indian middle class, the 300 million,
which is bigger than U.S.
The President. It is.
Q. Growing, emerging market and all that. But still, India right now
contributes only 1.3 percent of your global export.
The President. Right.
Q. So what's the roadmap?
The President. Well, the roadmap is to continue to work for
openness, opening markets on both sides. Listen, trade, again, this is
an issue that takes time to develop. Our relationship is a growing
relationship, and we're constantly addressing needs to make sure that
markets are open. We are going to have a business CEO forum with India
CEOs and American CEOs that will brief us on what more we can do
together.
And we're democracies. I mean, India is a great democracy. And
democracies, there's constant pressure against certain advances. People
have their opinion, and people are allowed to express their opinion. And
opening markets is difficult. It's difficult for a lot of countries, and
it's not easy for America, either. But the purpose of the trip is to
continue to work to open up markets because opening markets and free
trade that's fair trade will benefit workers and families on both sides
of the trading equation.
India-U.S. Relations
Q. Well, military-to-military relationship is again another success
story, new heights. It is--every day it is reaching new heights.
The President. Yes.
Q. Marrying of technologies and understanding each other--and what
about the same kind of cooperation in the field of defense industry?
The President. In what now?
Q. In defense industry, joint production with India, America,
technology transfer.
The President. Well, as you know, there's a lot of technology
transfer. And I quoted the example of Texas Instruments having a plant
in India's silicon valley, a research center, and that's a classic case
of technological transfer. Knowledge is technology, is the advancement
of technology. And listen, this country has greatly benefited by Indian
Americans, and Indians that have--with advanced degrees and degrees that
have--unbelievably smart--engineering and different aspects of science
and technology. And we welcome the presence of Indian students here in
America, as well as the great contribution of our Indian Americans.
But technology transfers oftentimes require knowledge transfers, and
one of the things about the relationship that has emerged is the fact
there's a lot of knowledge transfer between private sectors and through
research institutions, and that's positive.
President's Upcoming Visit to India
Q. Well, the last question--this is your first visit to India.
The President. It is.
Q. While preparing to visit India and political negotiations, have
you discussed with Mrs. Bush how to negotiate hot Indian curry?
[Laughter]
The President. Well, I'm going to have to--I'll have to try that on.
I'll tell you afterwards. My one regret is that I'm not going to go see
the Taj Mahal. And that's not the fault of the Indian Government; that's
the fault of the George W. Bush
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schedulers. And obviously, it goes to show sometimes the President
doesn't get all his wishes.
But I am really looking forward to going to the country. I am
looking forward to meeting members of the Government. I'm looking
forward to having private time with the Prime Minister. And I know Laura joins me in
telling the Indian people, thanks for friendship, and we can't wait to
come to your country.
Q. Thank you very much. And welcome to India, you and Mrs. Bush. And
I think
there will be many more visits after this.
The President. I hope so. Thank you, sir.
Note: The interview was taped at 11:18 a.m. in the Map Room at the White
House for later broadcast, and it was embargoed by the Office of the
Press Secretary until 9 p.m. In his remarks, the President referred to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India; and President Pervez Musharraf
of Pakistan. A tape was not available for verification of the content of
this interview.