Sunday, March 16, 2014: After the much disputed WTO complaint furore on India’s solar policies, India and US will now share energy talks in renewable energy sector, to be held on Monday. The two countries will discuss via working groups with representatives from both countries on coal, oil and gas, new technologies and renewable energy, power and energy efficiency, and sustainable growth. It will center on review progress on areas of cooperation such as solar energy and propose new initiatives.
However, a statement form the government of India said that the civil nuclear working group will meet later this year. Furthermore, on Monday, New Delhi sought a waiver from Washington, to enable investments in its upstream oil and gas sector, during India-US energy dialogue.
The two countries discussed US policies that obstruct the finalising of India’s investment decisions in US upstream oil and gas sector, including in shale gas trade. The talks centred on the Indian oil investments and operations in countries like Sudan, which were sanctioned by US. The talks were held between US Energy Secretary, Ernest Moniz and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The two parties touched on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and shale oil issues, as well.
According to the Hindu report, Indian companies have signed an off-take agreement with a US company for the supply of 3.5 million metric tonnes of LNG, per year. This is the first LNG project in the US with non Free Trade Agreement (FTA) authorisation. A per US policy, a special waiver is required for countries interested in purchasing US oil and gas, but do not have a bilateral FTA.
The report said, this is the first ministerial visit from the US after the logjam in bilateral ties caused by the arrest and handcuffing of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in December in New York. Reportedly, a senior US Foreign Ministry official in-charge for India had visited New Delhi, to hold talks with Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, last week.
The India-US Energy Dialogue began in 2005. India and US also talked on issues associated with civilian use of nuclear energy and its control. Further, the exchanges between US’ Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and India’s Department of Atomic Energy and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board were discussed.
