By IANS
New Delhi : India and the US Thursday concluded two-day talks on strengthening regional and global efforts to prevent proliferation and combating the emerging threat of nuclear terrorism.
The US team led by Acting Under Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation John C. Rood and the Indian team headed by K.C. Singh, additional secretary (international organisations) in the external affairs ministry, discussed an array of issues relating to multilateral initiatives and strategic trade controls and regional security matters.
"Discussions covered a wide range of issues, including global nuclear non-proliferation challenges, export controls and regional and global efforts to prevent proliferation," the external affairs ministry said in a statement late Thursday.
Rood also called upon Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal Shyam Saran and discussed with them ways to enhance cooperation in the area of non-proliferaiton.
The annual dialogue was an affirmation of India's impeccable non-proliferation credentials and comes at a time when New Delhi and Washington are in the final stages of finalising a bilateral 123 civil nuclear cooperation pact that will lead to the resumption of nuclear commerce between the two countries.
Although this dialogue on non-proliferation is not linked to the 123 negotiations, it provides both sides an insight into each other's concerns in this crucial area.
Indian officials also brought up the dangers posed by clandestine operations similar to Pakistan's top nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan who is accused of selling nuclear technology to North Korea, Libya and Iran.
They also discussed steps to avert the possibility of nuclear weapons falling in the hands of terrorist outfits like the Al Qaeda.