'Better Indo-US relations make the world safer'

Asserting that the India-United States nuclear deal does not undercut the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen has said the two countries have entered into a 'new framework of cooperation' that has brought 'tangible benefits' to both.

"We are not in violation of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty because we have never signed it, nor will we. But, we will never try to undermine it either," he told a luncheon meeting at the East-West Centre in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Thursday.

According to the Centre's website, Sen said the only people surprised by the Indo-US civilian nuclear energy cooperation agreement were those still 'trapped in the mindset of the past'.

He stressed that the new relationship between the United States and India [ Images ] went far beyond the nuclear element that has claimed most of the media attention.

"The partnership has brought tangible benefits to both countries," he said, adding, "We have entered into a new framework of cooperation."

Sen said the two countries have come together in a manner that 'would have been inconceivable a couple of years ago'.

He characterised the recent India trip of President George W Bush [ Images ] and its positive outcome as a 'fundamental reaffirmation of (our) relationship with the United States'.

The agreements signed in New Delhi [ Images ] were 'good for both countries', the Ambassador said, adding the closer relationship between the two nations 'makes the world safer'.

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• President Bush in India
• Indo-US nuclear tango