The Bush administration called it one of the most important White House visits of the year. President Bush said relations between the United States and India have never been stronger like what it is today. This was the first visit to the White House by an Indian PM in five years. For the first time in history, an Indian leader addressed a joint meeting of US Congress, an honor shared by only a handful of world leaders.

The visit was special in many angles. It enhanced co-operation in security, economic, energy and nuclear matters. It was a visible demonstration of the desire of both the countries to build an increasingly important relationship. The visit proved that the world's largest democracy and the world's greatest democracy had much in common. And the US and Indian flags fluttering during the visit underscored the warm relations between the two countries.

The most remarkable gain from the visit was that India would be able to obtain nuclear reactor fuel and components from the United States and other nuclear suppliers. In return, it will allow international inspections and safeguards of its civilian nuclear program, and refrain from further nuclear weapons tests and transfers of arms technology to other countries.

A key development, which came out of the Prime Minister's US visit and talks with President Bush was an agreement on a new dialogue on civil nuclear technology, which could involve the sharing of civilian nuclear information.

The details came in a joint statement issued shortly before a banquet honoring the Indian leader. In that statement, President Bush vowed to co-operate with India to develop its civilian nuclear power program. In return, the Indian government promised to adhere to global agreements aimed at curbing arms proliferation, and would work with the International Atomic Energy Agency to put safeguards in place.

Moreover, US facilitated the supply of nuclear fuel for the Tarapur reactors and co-operation on development of new generation reactors and nuclear fusion research.

Tarapur was going to be one of the finest power plants of the world. Now, US had also agreed to supply not only enriched uranium to fuel the Tarapur reactors, but also natural uranium for other reactors that were at the heart of the national nuclear energy program of India.


One more key development in nuclear sector was that after Japan, India was going to set up the biggest ever University training in Nuclear technology, providing at least eight important specializations in nuclear, science and technology.

However, it was a dramatic shift from the situation in 1998, whenI ndia conducted a nuclear weapons test. Well, it was not only India's gain in nuclear and energy sector, which is on the eye ball to many political analysts across the world, but also Indian PM's effort to position India as an emerging world leader.

Like the last US visit, the Indian PM raised the issue of including India as a permanent member of UN Security Council. Apart from that the war against terrorism also tabled during the discussions. Like previous times, India – a front runner in the war against terrorism – has raised its support to wipe out the menace.

It was one of the most significant initiatives taken by the two democracies to move the world from the era of nuclear threats and confrontation to an age of peaceful, fruitful and constructive partnership in peaceful usages of nuclear power. The dream of "attempts for peace," seen to be becoming reality after all.

Later, a briefing to the parliament by PM Manmohan Singh on his, "Nuclear visit to the United States," was greeted with a thumping approval from members of Parliament.