More to Indo-US tango than just N-deal

In a frank assessment of the Indo-US nuclear agreement, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran has asserted that even if the deal does not go through, there will be other elements of the two countries' bilateral relationship that will move forward.

"If you look at the Indo-US Joint Statement, there is of course focus on the civil nuclear deal. There are many other very important bilateral initiatives such as knowledge initiative, initiative on agriculture, science and technology cooperation. So there are a number of very important elements in the emerging Indo-US relations," he said.

"But the fact is that the Indo-US Nuclear agreement deals with an issue which is very sensitive in nature and attracts a great deal of attention and therefore, whether it goes through or not, will have an impact, at least, on our abilities to take forward many other aspects of the Indo-US relations," he said, addressing the International Institute for Strategic Studies on "India and the Emerging World Order".

• Complete Coverage: The Indo-US nuclear tango

Saran, who left on Friday morning for New Delhi at the end of his two-day visit to London after talks with US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, said: "I have no doubt that even if the deal does not go through, there will be other elements of our relationship which will go forward because there is a certain logic behind it."

Referring to close bilateral relations between the two countries, the foreign secretary said there was a feeling in both countries that the best is yet to come.

"When we talk of the dramatic transformation in our relationship with the US, the centrepiece, of course, is the Indo-US Nuclear deal but its significance goes beyond mere bilateral relations. It is also an important centrepiece in our strategy for reassuring energy security for India and that has global implications," Saran said.

He said India is also emerging as an increasingly indispensable partner because of its sustained economic reform and consistent growth. "We see the world of tomorrow as being increasingly knowledge-based and technology driven and we believe that we are well placed to emerge in the front rank. Today's excellence in IT for example is a pointer."