Bush men on recce visit to India

A US Energy Dept delegation will be in New Delhi between February 8 and 10, reports Sutirtho Patranobis.

US President George Bush is sending his men ahead of his visit to India in March. A high-level US delegation, headed by Under Secretary in the US Energy Department, David K. Garman, will be in town between February 8 and 10.

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The discussions to be held by Garman are significant in the light of India's quest for energy security and the difference in perception between New Delhi and Washington on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. The US energy team is likely to touch upon the issue of civilian use of nuclear energy by India.

New Delhi is already in consultation with the Americans for separating its military and civilian nuclear facilities to gain the Nuclear Supplier's Group’s approval for technology transfer.

During the three-day visit, the US delegation will meet Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde at the Indo-US energy dialogue at Hyderabad House on February 9.