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Work past barriers to Indo-US nuclear deal: Samuel Berger 18 May 2006 The Indo-US civil nuclear agreement that has potential spin-off benefits for American companies, will need a lot of work to win approval of the US Congress. Samuel R Berger, former national security advisor in the Clinton administration and currently chairman of Stonebridge International, a leading international strategic advisory firm based in Washington DC, said it is important for India to be forceful in its advocacy of the deal. "Indian Americans need to speak up. The opponents (of the deal) are very well organised and rigid. The benefits of the deal are geo-political and it is important to see it through", Berger told Business Standard. Berger, who is in India to visit Stonebridge's operations here, said though proponents of the deal were working hard, there was opposition from sections that were concerned over the perceived dilution of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT). "The deal is of strategic importance over the next 20 years and its benefits surpass any problems that may have been created on the NPT front," Berger said adding that he was active on the issue and had spoken to friends in support of the deal. A pivotal player in shaping America's role in the post-Cold War era, Berger also said India's growth story and the emerging strong economic and political relationship meant that US companies now had great opportunities in India. "The restrictions of the past have gone. US companies are now taking a fresh look at India. In the past, infrastructural difficulties over regulation were barriers. Now there is renewed interest on the part of several top American corporations", he said. He added that there was widespread interest in India which was encouraged by growth in sectors like aviation. "India will be buying hundreds of aircraft. I met the civil aviation minister (Praful Patel) and he told me that India expects to grow from 80 to 400 airports," Berger said. (c) 2006 Business Standard Ltd. Return to In the News Back to Top^ About | Services | Expertise | Publications | News | Partners
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