U/S BURNS MEETS WITH PLANNING COMMISSION DEPUTY CHAIRMAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002166 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA, OES, SECC, AND EEB NSC FOR FROMAN, LIPTON USDA FOR USDA/FAS/OCBD/SHEIKH/LYONS/MIRELES E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL SENV ETRD EINV EAGR BEXP IN SUBJECT: U/S BURNS MEETS WITH PLANNING COMMISSION DEPUTY CHAIRMAN MONTEK SINGH AHLUWALIA Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) On October 15, U/S Burns met with Deputy Chairman of India's Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia for a wide-ranging discussion of the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue and Prime Minister Singh's November State Visit to Washington. Ambassador Roemer, A/S for South and Central Asia Bob Blake, and NSC Acting Senior Director for South Asia Anish Goel accompanied. The discussion reinforced a shared interest in moving existing dialogues toward more concrete outcomes; a "Green Initiative" as a means to link a range of projects on energy/climate change and food security; and the need to connect more closely inter-government-to-government dialogues with private sector input through the CEO Forum. The discussion also touched on managing expectations for Copenhagen. End Summary. Green Initiative -------------- ¶2. (SBU) U/S Burns told DCPC Ahluwalia that the USG was eager to leverage the five pillars of the U.S.- India Strategic Dialogue for progress toward a fulsome agenda for the PM's November visit. In addition to an MOU on Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation, he described a Green Initiative that linked over-arching energy, climate change and food security concerns into a coherent package. The Ambassador noted that the Green Initiative could have broad popular appeal in both countries. U/S Burns emphasized that support for technological innovations in these areas could stimulate greater private sector investment in the fields in question. Energy/Climate Change -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Ahluwalia shared his concern that the energy and climate change dialogues should produce more concrete outcomes. He agreed that there were numerous private sector entities working on renewable energy projects whose efforts would benefit from intensified bilateral collaboration. India, as proposed in its draft Energy and Climate MOU, was prepared to create a public-private fund that was impartially governed and which would ensure that projects would be supported through a rigorous peer-review process. U/S Burns expressed his hope that during their November meetings, the leaders would embrace such a concept. India's Solar Mission -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Ahluwalia noted that the GOI was on the verge of releasing its much-anticipated National Solar Mission, which will complement India's National Action Plan on Climate Change and National Energy Efficiency Plan. While he was not exactly sure of the scope of the individual projects, Ahluwalia suggested that two or three 100-300 MW solar thermal plant projects would soon be put up for competitive bid, and that bids from U.S. companies would be welcome. He noted that the GOI was planning to provide subsidies on a declining basis for the first 1,000 MW of solar power. Copenhagen -------------- ¶5. (SBU) U/S Burns raised the Danish PM's recent call for the Copenhagen talks to produce a short political statement accompanied by a mechanism for identifying and linking national climate change commitments. Ahluwalia said it would be important to ensure that Copenhagen not appear to fail, even in the absence of a spectacular success. Ahluwalia expressed regret that India had recently appeared to have struck a more strident tone in the press, as the L'Aquila Declaration reflected a more genuinely cooperative approach. Speaking personally, Ahluwalia said he hoped that the Declaration would provide a basis for preserving a positive and forward-looking outcome in Copenhagen, even if a breakthrough was not close. For India, Ahluwalia said, an equitable outcome was the bottom line; meanwhile, it would move ahead with national and bilateral plans including new technology and cleaner coal. U/S Burns suggested that Copenhagen might well involve linking loose multilateral commitments to more specific national objectives. Ahluwalia noted that until developed economies show that cleaner, more efficient technologies offer a viable model for economic growth, skeptics will continue to believe they must defend NEW DELHI 00002166 002 OF 002 development from climate change policies. Food Security -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Ahluwalia referenced a recent conversation with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack on India's potential cooperation on a global food security initiative. Ahluwalia noted that India's experts were more than willing to contribute their expertise to any such initiative, noting that they had already done work in Africa. He added, however, that Indian technical assistance could best be leveraged with U.S. funding support. Ahluwalia proposed that India could benefit greatly from capacity building in the area of monsoon and weather forecasting and that such a deliverable would resonate very well in India. Noting the work of new retail distributors in Amritsar, A/S Blake spoke of private sector efforts to overcome supply chain blockages. CEO Forum -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Ahluwalia said he looked forward to seeing the U.S. representation to the CEO Forum. U/S Burns noted that the selection process, requiring notification in the Federal Register, would likely be finalized soon. Deputy National Security Advisor Froman would be providing follow-up and would work with Ahluwalia and the CEO Forum to help ensure a productive meeting. Ahluwalia said that although the U.S. CEO selection-process might appear cumbersome, he had received suggestions from Indian CEOs that the GOI should adopt a similar, more transparent process. ¶8. (SBU) Ahluwalia concurred that it would be useful to solicit from CEO Forum members joint recommendations. He further proposed that such recommendations could be shared with bilateral inter-ministerial groups following PM Singh's U.S. visit and before a visit to India by President Obama. A/S Blake suggested the CEO Forum could be fruitfully linked with ongoing government-to-government dialogues to stimulate public-private engagement. Ahluwalia noted that there was significant interest in India for doing so, notably in the areas of education, clean energy, investment and infrastructure.