India, US agree on first deal in civil N-power

India and the US have reached the first commercial agreement on civilian nuclear power, five years after a landmark deal between the two countries was clinched.

India and the US have reached the first commercial agreement on civilian nuclear power, five years after a landmark deal between the two countries was clinched.

Addressing a joint media interaction after talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President Barack Obama on Friday said the two countries had sealed the agreement.

"We've made enormous progress on the issue of civilian nuclear power, and in fact, have been able to achieve just in the last few days an agreement on the first commercial agreement between a US company and India on civilian nuclear power," Obama said.

READ: India-US nuclear deal: All that you wanted to know

Talks between Obama and Singh also focused on Pakistan. Singh said he was looking forward to meeting Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif at the weekend, but added expectations for the talks should be toned down.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks as US President Barack Obama looks on, during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.

Singh and Sharif are expected to hold a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday, as they reach for better relations despite heightened cross border tensions.

“I look forward to the meeting with ... Nawaz Sharif even though the expectations have to be toned down,” Singh told reporters in the Oval Office after the meeting.

Singh told Obama India was facing difficulties because the “epicentre of terrorist activity remains focused in Pakistan”.

Deadly skirmishes across the border Kashmir have jeopardised plans for the meeting in New York, which would come months after peace talks again stalled between the two neighbours.

Prime Manmohan Singh arrives at the West Wing of the White House in Washington to meet with US President Barack Obama. (PTI Photo)