[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 38 (Monday, September 25, 2000)]
[Pages 2106-2108]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
India-United States Joint Statement

September 15, 2000

    Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Clinton today reaffirmed the 
vision they outlined in March in New Delhi of a closer and qualitatively 
new relationship between India and the United States in the 21st 
century. They reiterated their conviction that closer cooperation and 
stronger partnership between the two countries will be a vital factor 
for shaping a future of peace, prosperity, democracy, pluralism and 
freedom for this world. They acknowledged that this vision draws 
strength from broad political support in both countries.
    The two leaders agreed that the wide-ranging architecture of 
institutional dialogue between the two countries provides a broad-based 
framework to pursue the vision of a new relationship. They expressed 
satisfaction at the pace and purposefulness with which the two countries 
have initiated the consultations envisaged in the dialogue architecture.
    In particular, the two leaders are gratified by their recent 
exchange of visits, and by the regular foreign policy consultations at 
the ministerial and senior policy levels:
 <bullet>    They expressed satisfaction at the role that the two 
            countries played in the launch of the Community of 
            Democracies.
 <bullet>    In the economic arena, they reaffirmed their confidence 
            that the three ministerial-level economic dialogues and the 
            High-Level Coordinating Group will improve the bilateral 
            trade environment, facilitate greater commercial 
            cooperation, promote investment, and contribute to 
            strengthening the global financial and trading systems.
 <bullet>    They welcomed the progress of the Joint Working Group on 
            Counter- Terrorism, and agreed that it would also examine 
            linkages between terrorism and narcotics trafficking and 
            other related issues. They noted the opening of a Legal 
            Attache office in New Delhi designed to facilitate 
            cooperation in counter-terrorism and law enforcement.
 <bullet>    The two leaders expressed satisfaction that the joint 
            consultative group on clean energy and environment met in 
            July and agreed to revitalize and expand energy cooperation, 
            while discussing the full range of issues relating to 
            environment and climate change.
 <bullet>    They welcomed the establishment of the Science and 
            Technology forum in July and agreed that the forum should 
            reinvigorate the traditionally strong scientific cooperation 
            between the two countries. In that connection, they noted 
            the contribution of the two science and technology related 
            roundtable meetings held in March and September.
 <bullet>    They also welcomed the recent initiatives in the health 
            sector, including the joint statements of June 2000, as 
            examples of deepening collaboration in improving health care 
            and combating AIDS and other major diseases of our time.

[[Page 2107]]

    The two leaders agreed that India and the United States must build 
upon this new momentum in their relationship to further enhance mutual 
understanding and deepen cooperation across the full spectrum of 
political, economic, commercial, scientific, technological, social, and 
international issues.
    During this visit, the two leaders had productive discussions across 
a wide range of bilateral, regional, and international developments. In 
the economic arena, they agree that India's continuing economic reforms, 
as well as the two countries' complementary strengths and resources, 
provide strong bases for expansion of economic ties between the two 
countries. The two leaders recognized the need to deepen cooperation on 
high-tech trade issues. They noted that the present regime on e-commerce 
would be rolled over until the next ministerial meeting of the WTO, and 
that the two countries would cooperate in building a wider international 
consensus on information technology. The two leaders pledged their joint 
commitment to bridge the digital divide, both within and between 
countries, so that the benefits of information technology may advance 
the economic and social development of all citizens, rich and poor.
    The two leaders expressed satisfaction with their agreement on 
textiles. They also affirmed the need for expansion of bilateral civil 
aviation ties and agreed to work toward this goal. They recognized the 
contribution that biotechnology can make to a safe and nutritious food 
supply, in offering new options to farmers to address problems of pests 
and diseases, while to contributing to environmental protection and 
enhancing global food security. The governments of the United States and 
India will explore ways of enhancing cooperation and information 
exchange, joint collaborative projects and training of scientists in 
agriculture biotechnology research. The ongoing vaccine research would 
be further strengthened also, making use of genomics and bioinformatics. 
The governments of both the United States and India support science-
based regulatory activities.
    They also noted significant progress on other important economic 
issues including mutual taxation and investment in the power and other 
sectors. In regard to double taxation issues, the competent authorities 
of both sides intend to soon negotiate an arrangement under which 
collection or recovery of tax will generally be suspended on a 
reciprocal basis, during pendency of a mutual agreement proceeding. To 
ensure sustainable economic growth that will lift the lives of rich and 
poor alike, the two leaders committed support for efforts that will make 
capital markets more efficient, transparent, and accountable to attract 
the billions in private investment that is needed.
    They recognize the need for appropriate technology for power 
generation, and the importance of greater South Asian regional 
cooperation and trade in energy, as well as the development and 
application of clean technologies that address our respective problems 
of urban and water pollution. The leaders noted with satisfaction the 
signings of several major commercial agreements, under which U.S. firms 
will contribute to the development of the power industry in India.
    The United States and India intend to harness their cooperation in 
emerging scientific and economic sectors into a partnership for defining 
new ways of fighting hunger, disease, pollution, and other global 
challenges of our time. The two leaders pledged their strong commitment 
to address the global challenge of the prevention and control of HIV/
AIDS through the close involvement and cooperation between the 
governments and civil society in the two countries. They expressed 
support for the collaborative program for research in various areas, 
including HIV/AIDS vaccine development, through the Joint Working Groups 
of scientists envisaged by the Joint Statement of June 2000. They agreed 
to encourage the formation of a business council to combat HIV/AIDS with 
the active involvement and participation of business and industry to 
raise awareness in the industrial workplace.
    The two leaders discussed international security. They recalled the 
long history of Indo-U.S. cooperation in UN peacekeeping operations, 
most recently in Sierra Leone. The two leaders agreed to broaden their 
cooperation in peacekeeping and other areas of UN activity, including in 
shaping the future international security system. The two leaders also 
discussed the evolving security environment

[[Page 2108]]

in Asia, recalling their common desire to work for stability in Asia and 
beyond. They agreed that the Asian Security Dialogue that the two 
countries have initiated will strengthen mutual understanding.
    The two countries reaffirmed their belief that tensions in South 
Asia can only be resolved by the nations of South Asia, and by peaceful 
means. India reiterated its commitment to enhancing cooperation, peace, 
and stability in the region. Both sides stressed the unacceptability of 
continued violence and bloodshed as a basis for solution of the problems 
of the region.
    The United States and India seek to advance their dialogue on 
security and nonproliferation issues, building upon the joint statement 
signed during President Clinton's visit to India in March. They 
reiterated their respective commitments to forgo nuclear explosive 
tests. India reaffirmed that, subject to its supreme national interests, 
it will continue its voluntary moratorium until the Comprehensive Test 
Ban Treaty (CTBT) comes into effect. The United States reaffirmed its 
intention to work for ratification of the Treaty at the earliest 
possible date. The Indian government will continue efforts to develop a 
broad political consensus on the issue of the Treaty, with the purpose 
of bringing these discussions to a successful conclusion. India also 
reconfirmed its commitment not to block entry into force of the Treaty. 
India expects that all other countries, as included in Article XIV of 
CTBT, will adhere to this Treaty without reservations. The United States 
and India reiterated their support for a global treaty to halt the 
production of fissile material for weapons purposes, and for the 
earliest possible start of Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty negotiations 
in Geneva. The United States noted its moratorium on the production of 
fissile material for weapons purposes and supports a multilateral 
moratorium on such production pending conclusion of a Fissile Material 
Cutoff Treaty. The United States and India commended the progress made 
so far on export controls, and pledged to continue to strengthen them. 
Both countries agreed to continue their dialogue on security and 
nonproliferation, including on defense posture, which is designed to 
further narrow differences on these important issues.
    In combating international terrorism, the two leaders called on the 
international community to intensify its efforts, including at the 
current session of the United Nations. Noting that both India and the 
United States are targets of continuing terrorism, they expressed their 
determination to further reinforce bilateral cooperation in this area. 
They have agreed to hold another round of counter-terrorism 
consultations in New Delhi later this month, and to pursue work on a 
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.
    Finally, the two leaders also paid tribute to the contributions of 
the Indian-American community in providing a bridge of understanding 
between the two societies and in strengthening the ties of commerce and 
culture between the two countries. In this connection, they commended 
the progress of the initiative to set up a collaborative Global 
Institute for Science and Technology in India. The two leaders agreed to 
encourage people-to-people connections between the two nations, and to 
enlist the cooperation of all sections of their talented and diverse 
societies in support of that goal.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement. This item was not received in time for publication 
in the appropriate issue.