The US and India have agreed on a defense pact that could permit the sale of sophisticated American arms to the South Asian country. The announcement came in New Delhi after talks between US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna. Andrew Depuis has more.

Known as an "end-use monitoring" agreement and required by U.S. law for such weapons sales, the pact would let Washington check that India was using any arms for the purposes intended and was preventing the technology from leaking to others.

The agreement will also allow the US to sell sophisticated military technology to India.

S.M. Krishna, Indian External Affairs Minister, said, "We have agreed on the end-use monitoring arrangements that will henceforth be referred to in letters of acceptance for Indian procurement of US defense technology and equipment."

Clinton said New Delhi had also approved two sites for US companies to build nuclear power plants.

Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary Of State, said, "Prime Minister Singh told me that sites for two nuclear parks for US companies have been approved by the government. These parks will advance the aims of the US-India civil nuclear agreement, facilitate billions of dollars in US reactor exports and create jobs in both countries as well as generate much-needed energy for the Indian people."

The two countries agreed to form a "strategic dialogue" led by Clinton and Krishna who will meet annually.

But Clinton's trip has not gone strictly according to script. She and an Indian official had a blunt exchange regarding the US's push for India to accept binding limits on carbon emissions.

In her meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, Clinton said Singh accepted an invitation for him to make a state visit to Washington on November 24th.

(CCTV July 21, 2009)