Thank you for having me today.  This is an important meeting. I want to thank Deputy Chairman Ahluwalia for his prescient remarks.

His leadership in the effort to reform India’s economy is a major the reason we now see India as both a potential partner and a competitor… a friendly competitor to be sure but an effective competitor … in the global marketplace.

Energy issues are at the forefront of things in the United States these days.

And because they are, I am afraid that pressing business requires me to return to the Department as soon as I conclude my remarks.

However, the relationship between our two countries is so important I wanted to make sure I stopped by to listen to Dr. Ahluwalia and to say a few words… especially about the benefits of U.S.-India cooperation on science and technology issues.

Cooperation between our two countries is important to the global marketplace and for the spread of the democratic model of governance.

I am pleased, and I know the President is pleased, that we have opened a new chapter in our relationship with India, one that is based… not just on our mutual needs… but on trust.

As the President said in March of this year, “Our two great democracies are now united by opportunities that can lift our people… The United States and India, separated by half the globe, are closer than ever before, and the partnership between our free nations has the power to transform the world." 

I believe that… and I believe that much of that power comes in the areas of science and technology.

Last year, President Bush and Prime Minister Singh declared their resolve to transform the relationship between our two countries in ways that support and accelerate economic growth through greater trade, investment and collaboration on technology.

This cooperation will do much, I believe, to enhance energy security for both our countries because it promotes the development of stable and efficient energy markets and will enhance the research and development of alternative energy sources already underway.

Their joint statement also contained a reference to the international collaboration on ITER… an international partnership dedicated to developing an experimental reactor to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy.

In so doing, I know that India will be playing a very important role in harnessing fusion as an inexhaustible source of pollution-free energy for the world. 

India has joined the other six parties to the international ITER agreement, initialed just last month in Brussels.  Together, the seven parties to this agreement represent more than half of the world's population.

At this point, I also want to say we would welcome India’s collaboration on the development of the proposed International Linear Collider, which would make possible new discoveries in particle physics.

We intend for the ILC to be designed, funded, managed and operated as a fully international scientific project, one I hope the Indians will join.

The bilateral Agreement on Science and Technology the U.S. and India signed in October of 2005 establishes a framework for the exchange of ideas, information, skills and technologies.

Under the terms of this agreement, the United States and India will be able to advance scientific progress in clean energy research and development, the sharing of training facilities and the exchange of materials and equipment.

One example of the kind of cooperation we hope to encourage is India’s decision to join the FutureGen international partnership.

We are appreciative of India’s participation in this effort to create a zero emissions coal-fired power plant that will produce hydrogen and sequester carbon dioxide below ground.

We especially appreciate India’s agreement to participate in the FutureGen steering committee, its commitment to participate in the FutureGen Industry Alliance and its pledge of $10 million to the project, $2.2 million of which has already been donated.

This is a major investment in future technology, one that will benefit both our countries and the world.

We are also working together to bring India into the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program and to cooperate on efforts to study methane hydrates.

India’s effort in this regard will make use of Department of Energy-owned technology, which we are happy to provide, and will, along with the follow-on research, include many U.S. researchers -- allowing us to accelerate commercial utilization of hydrates here in the United States and around the world.

The U.S.-India Energy Dialogue has led to the creation of five working groups that are showing great progress.

The Civil Nuclear Energy Working Group has already held one joint technical workshop to advance the dialogue between our two countries on our national programs and plans. I understand that a second workshop will take place in the United States later this year.

I think it is important to express our appreciation to the Indian government for its willingness to engage in discussions on civilian nuclear energy.

The work President Bush and Prime Minster Singh have done to move these issues forward has been significant. There is much still be worked out but we should acknowledge the progress our two governments have made thus far and I want to commend the Indian government for its thoughtful leadership in these matters

The Power and Energy Efficiency Working Group is working to establish avenues for technology cooperation on industrial and building energy efficiency.

For example, under consideration is a proposed strategic partnership between India’s National Thermal Power Corporation and the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory to advance the development of clean and efficient power generation.

And under its auspices, together with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the General Electric Company, a public-private partnership has been formed to increase access to clean and affordable energy services and provide up to four rural communities in India with access to clean energy over the next two years. 

Also, last month an energy efficiency conference was held in New Delhi that included significant participation of government representatives and the business communities of both countries.

We hope that this conference will spur business partnerships that will result in new technologies being applied to save energy, both in India and the United States.

The Coal Working Group has also accomplished much, including the creation of a high level work plan identifying priority projects our two countries will pursue over the next two years.

These projects include pursuing investment opportunities and information exchange in the areas of coal mining and processing, coal mine safety and in situ coal gasification.

The Oil and Gas Working Group held a one day government-to-government workshop in New Delhi last month on developing a regulatory framework for natural gas and is exploring ways to involve the U.S.-India business community.

It has also arranged for several memoranda of understanding between our two governments on information exchange, operational safety, inspection issues and accident investigations of offshore oil and gas operations related to both drilling and production.

And, finally, the New Technology and Renewable Energy Working Group is sponsoring meetings between our two governments to discuss potential areas of collaboration including solar power generation, low wind speed technology research & development and renewable energy resources.

I believe our partnership with India on science and technology related matters would be of great benefit to both our countries.

In his most recent State of the Union Address, President Bush laid out an ambitious but achievable program to expand research and development into alternative sources of energy.

These efforts, which are known collectively as the President’s Advanced Energy Initiative, to bring to market energy produced from cellulosic ethanol, hydrogen, solar and wind technologies will require the best scientists and the best engineers. Many of these individuals are to be found, not in the United States, but in India.

It is my hope that our two countries can cooperate on these projects as well, as we are on the ITER and on FutureGen, to bring them to fruition that much sooner.

I thank you for your attention and I appreciate the spirit of cooperation that invests this forum and this new chapter in U.S.-Indian relations.

Thank you.

Location:
Washington, DC

Media contact(s):
Craig Stevens, (202) 586-4940