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Energy sector exemplifies 'scale and breadth' of growing US-India partnership: Official

Digital Desk | New York, Sep 25 (IANS) The scale and breadth of US relations with India are growing, with the energy sector exemplifying it as New Delhi tries to diversify its sources, according to Bethany Morrison who looks after the region in the US State Department. Were now very proudly the largest exporter of LPG to India, said Morrison, who is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia. So, when we talk about diversifying energy sources, we are happy that the United States is now becoming that provider she said at a briefing for reporters in New York. Imports of LPG from the US surged from under 10 per cent of the imports last year, to 67 per cent till August because of the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, through which most of it used to come from the Gulf nations. Should things stabilise in the Gulf region, India still targets getting at least 25 per cent of its supply from the US next year, according to reports. In another energy area, nuclear, Morrison said she saw exciting new developments. India for the first time in 20 years reformed their nuclear regulatory environment by passing the SHANTI Act, and now were moving forward on some really exciting new developments in civil nuclear cooperation, she said. The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Act or SHANTI Act passed in December opens the nuclear sector to the private sector and reforms liability rules. As another example of increasing cooperation, she cited the 10-year Defence Framework Agreement signed last year by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth last year. It covers interoperability between weapon systems of the two countries, defence equipment manufacture, sharing intelligence, and ensuring maritime security in the Indo-Pacific. Morrison also mentioned that US President Donald Trump wants more attention paid to South Asia, a critical part of the world. Were very, very excited about where the next years are going to go, she said. We see South Asia as such a critical sort of part of the world that really has not gotten enough attention, and thats where President Trump has really made sure, that he has advised us to do more, Morrison said briefing reporters. Its often a region that historically gets overlooked until theres a crisis because of all, everything else, happening in the world -- from whats happening in Latin America to Africa to the Middle East, and then obviously land wars in Europe, she said.