WASHINGTON, July 3: The United States is no longer asking India to sign the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) and is expected to liberalize its exports of dual use technology later this year, says Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal.

“The United States is no longer asking India to join the NPT or Fullscope Safeguards,” Mr Sibal told a news conference here on Wednesday night at the conclusion of a two-day meeting of the Indo-US High Technology Cooperation Group.

“Though the Americans have their laws restricting exports of strategic goods to non-signatories, they have found that there is room for further liberalization without changing the laws,” he said.

“How far they can go will probably be known by November, when the group meets again New Delhi,” he added.

The two governments had agreed to form the HTCG in November 2002 to facilitate and promote bilateral high-technology trade, including trade in dual use technologies.

Speaking about the US request for Indian troops in Iraq, Mr Sibal said New Delhi felt that the issue had certain “grey areas and ambiguities” that needed to be clarified before India could send its troops.

“There are no deadlines or pressure on India for sending troops,” he told reporters after extensive talks with top US officials including National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice in the last two days.

“The United States understands that India is a democratic country and has public and political opinion.

“Any decision that is taken in India must have a political consensus behind it,” Mr Sibal said.

Besides Ms Rice, the Indian foreign secretary also met Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage for an assessment of bilateral relations, the Indo-Pakistan peace initiative, the Indian prime minister’s trip to China and President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s visit to Washington.