US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI2273

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002273 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOE FOR SECRETARY BODMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2015 
TAGS: ENRG, EPET, ECON, ETTC, PREL, KNNP, TRGY, IN, NSSP 
SUBJECT: INDIAN IDEAS FOR ENERGY DIALOGUE 
 
REF: NEW DELHI 1824 
 
Classified By: DCM Robert O. Blake Jr, for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Following up discussions between Secretary 
Rice and PM Singh, and building on our public agreement to a 
high-level Energy Dialogue including civil-nuclear power, MEA 
Joint Secretary (Americas) S. Jaishankar presented a 
non-paper with four areas for US-India cooperation in a March 
24 meeting with EconCouns, PolCouns, and PolMilOff.  The 
Indian proposed agenda for the Energy Dialogue includes 
global energy scenarios and energy security assessments, 
hydrocarbon resources, nuclear energy, and clean energy (see 
text in para 4).  Notably, the Indian paper also includes a 
proposal for bilateral cooperation in "strengthening 
non-proliferation efforts."  As part the of the effort to 
build on the Secretary's vision of "a decisively broader 
strategic relationship," the GOI hopes we will be able to 
respond with a public reaffirmation of our commitment to a 
dialogue along the lines described in this paper.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) In response to PolCouns' query about how the 
Economic and Energy Dialogues may interface, Jaishankar 
underscored GOI flexibility as a result of having 
comparatively fewer actors involved.  Reflecting the priority 
that the Prime Minister placed on energy cooperation, the GOI 
wants engagement on that issue across a broad front. 
EconCouns noted that the momentum of the energy track of the 
Economic Dialogue might best be maintained by the Department 
of Energy, particularly under Energy Secretary Bodman's 
leadership.  Jaishankar intimated that the GOI could decide 
to parallel the model of the Economic Dialogue, which has 
Planning Commission head Montek Singh Ahluwalia as the 
Chairman while MEA takes the operational lead.  PolCouns 
suggested that other responsible line officials, like Indian 
Atomic Energy Commission Chair Kakodkar might also be 
involved in the dialogue. 
Comment 
------- 
 
3.  (C)  Comment:  The issues in the GOI non-paper closely 
track ideas raised in Ambassador Mulford's February 14 
message to Secretary Bodman (Reftel) and indicate GOI effort 
and enthusiasm to think broadly about ways to expand 
bilateral cooperation on energy issues.  In a private 
conversation after this meeting, Jaishankar indicated to 
PolCouns that a US signal of willingness to move forward on 
these energy issues would be an important element of the GOI 
effort to prove to the Indian public that the "decisively 
broader strategic relationship" that Secretary Rice promised 
is real. 
 
4.  (SBU) Begin text of non-paper: 
 
Indo-US Energy Dialogue 
----------------------- 
 
A.  Global energy scenarios and energy security assessments. 
 
B.  Hydrocarbon resources 
 
- Exchange of views on demand projection and supply options; 
and 
- Issues posed by supply options. 
 
C.  Nuclear energy 
 
- Access to nuclear technology including civilian nuclear 
power reactor technology and supply of nuclear fuel; 
- Laboratory-to-laboratory cooperation; 
- Participation in ITER and Generation IV Initiative Forum; 
- Agreement on roadmap to achieve common goals; and 
- Counter proliferation cooperation and strengthening 
non-proliferation efforts. 
D.  Clean energy initiatives 
- International Partnership for a Hydrogen Economy; 
- International Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum; and 
- Methane to Markets Partnership. 
 
E.  Level and Timing 
 
- The Dialogue could be led at the level of Cabinet Minister 
with a deputy at Secretary level, on the lines of the 
Economic Dialogue; and 
- First meeting could take place in April or May 2005. 
 
End GOI text. 
MULFORD