'Indo-US nuclear deal has silenced all sceptics'

A Defence Ministry official has termed the Indo-US nuclear deal as a sign of "renewed partnership" between the two countries.

Terming the Indo-US civil nuclear deal as a sign of "renewed partnership" between the two countries, a senior Defence Ministry official on Friday said this has removed all the scepticism about the issue.

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"The significant agreement that US President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed on Thursday has removed the suspicion in the minds of sceptics in US and has sent out a message that we mean business," KP Singh, Secretary, Defence Production said at a conference on 'Indo-US Economic Cooperation' in New Delhi.

He said the deal will have greater significance in the long run and hoped that the two countries would ink an agreement on Intellectual Property Rights in the near future.

"I hope they have an agreement on IPRs too, so that these technologies that we build do not get passed on to somebody whom we don't want," he said.

"We have never seen India doing anything that can be called foul in the global context. We have always stuck to rule book," he said.

He added, "I request the delegates from US to bring home this to your licensing authorities so that whenever there is a bidding opportunity here you can bid."

Speaking on the occasion senior vice-president of International US Chamber of Commerce Dan Christman said, "the landmark agreement reached yesterday would enable the two countries to cooperate and participate in sharing technologies for various causes including environment, human rights, global stability and peace."