India-US talks may resume in March

The India-US dialogue, which was marred by the row over the arrest of diplomat Devyani Khobragade, is likely to get back on track by March as US energy secretary Ernest Moniz is slated to pay a two-day visit.

The India-US dialogue, which was marred by the row over the arrest of diplomat Devyani Khobragade, is likely to get back on track by March.

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US energy secretary Ernest Moniz will be on a two-day visit to India for the energy security dialogue from March 10. The trip ran into rough weather in December last year in the aftermath of Khobrgade’s arrest.

India is keen on US help in exploring shale gas in the country. New Delhi is keen getting on US technology in the shale gas resource assessments as well as sharing lessons on its exploitation, officials pointed out.

The other ongoing cooperation in the energy sector between the two nations include in the areas of electrical grid cooperation, energy efficiency, expanding markets for renewable energy technologies and addressing barriers to clean energy deployment, clean coal technology development, and civil nuclear energy.

Meanwhile, the US continues to have reservations about India’s nuclear liability law and the slow progress in beginning the nuclear commerce.

Moniz’s visit will signal the bilateral calendar of events being back on track. The visit of the commissioner of the US food and drug administration, Margaret Hamburg, will be next on the agenda.

However, the Khobragade episode is far from over. The Indian income tax department has already begun a discreet probe into the tax violations of the American school in New Delhi.