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WASHINGTON: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday appealed for wide-ranging cooperation with the United States on areas such as climate change and defence, as he started a high-profile state visit.
President Barack Obama invited Singh on the first full-fledged state visit since he entered the White House in January, a sign of the rapidly warming ties between the world's two largest democracies.
Singh was due to head on Tuesday to the White House for the pomp of a state visit, including a red-carpet welcome on the South Lawn and a black-tie dinner that is one of Washington's most coveted invitations.
As US and Indian flags flew across Pennsylvania Avenue connecting the White House and the Capitol, Singh started his visit by meeting with business leaders - who he said were crucial to building the two countries' ties.
"A strategic relationship that is not underpinned by a strong economic relationship is unlikely to prosper," Singh told a luncheon of the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-India Business Council.
"I invite you to stay engaged as we transform India from a low-income country into a vibrant market of over a billion people with steadily growing purchasing power," Singh said.
US and Indian officials marked his visit by signing a largely symbolic memorandum on expanding investment.
Singh said he would sign accords with Obama on cooperating in specific areas including on developing clean energy.
Despite warming political relations, India and the United States have been at sharp odds on climate change ahead of next month's high-stakes Copenhagen summit with each country seeking further commitments by the other.
Singh called for investment in areas that were long taboo - the nuclear sector and defence.
Under the previous George W. Bush administration, the United States signed a landmark agreement to end India's isolation on civilian nuclear markets despite New Delhi's refusal to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Obama has pledged to move ahead on the nuclear accord, even though some members of his Democratic Party had initially opposed it.
"The nuclear agreement was a landmark in Indo-US relations," Singh said. "We are currently finalising the details that will make the agreement fully operational."
Singh, an Oxford-educated economist, spearheaded India's market reforms in the 1990s which ended decades of state management.
Singh, who led his Congress Party to a triumphant re-election earlier this year, promised that he would expand reforms. In his previous government, Singh relied on support from communists who opposed key privatisation initiatives.
"I can assure that we will continue down this road. We might do it gradually and in a manner which builds a consensus on economic and social change, but I assure you we will persevere," Singh said.
While Singh's focus on his first day was on business, he was expected to talk with Obama on the US leader's key foreign priority - Afghanistan.
Obama was due to meet with top US brass late Monday as he finalises a decision on whether to reinforce the 68,000 US troops who will be stationed in Afghanistan by year-end.
Singh has appealed for the United States to stay committed in Afghanistan, warning the country could face civil war if foreign forces suddenly leave.
The Indian prime minister has also questioned the commitment of rival Pakistan in Afghanistan, saying Islamabad's main interest was controlling its northern neighbour. - AFP/de
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