India and the US are set to sign a pathbreaking new agreement on cooperation in high-technology, space launch equipment, civilian nuclear energy and missile defence over the next couple of weeks. Called ‘The Glide Path,’ US Secretary of State Colin Powell confirmed to The Washington Post today that the agreement follows a commitment on the part of New Delhi to take a series of steps, such as strengthening domestic export control laws, in exchange for enhanced market opportunities within the US. ‘‘The Glide Path was a way of bringing to closure this debate,’’ Powell said. The agreement was set for signature during the recent visit of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to New York and was supposed to take place after his lunch with President Bush on September 24. But the fear that Pakistan would demand a similar pound of flesh from the Americans prevailed, and both sides agreed that the agreement would be put off for a couple of weeks. Over the last couple of years, India has sought to impress upon the US that, despite its nuclear capabilities, it would not divert any of the high-technology items it imported from Washington towards weapons. The high-tech would only be used for peaceful, civilian purposes, New Delhi said. According to Powell, ‘‘We also had to protect certain red lines that we had with respect to proliferation.’’ He pointed out that those fears had been assuaged. A High-Technology Control Group (HTCR) was also formed between the two countries some months ago so as to focus on this very area. Called the ‘‘trinity’’ issues — space, civilian nuclear technology and high-tech — both sides recently expanded the agenda to include cooperation in missile defence. This is now known as the ‘quartet.’’ Highly placed sources here said the agreement may now be initialled even before the visit of US Commerce secretary Ken Juster, expected in the capital in the third week of the month.
