The United States has been asked by India to look again into and update its export controls in order to reflect the changed political realities of their emerging strategic partnership.

The issue was brought to light for the US Department of Commerce by Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao at two day meeting here of the India-US High Technology Cooperation Group (HTCG), a key component of India US Strategic Dialogue.

This was the first meeting of the HTCG since President Barack Obama took over last. The meeting saw the two sides consolidating the progress made in the last five years and recognizing the next steps for further expanding high technology trade between India and the US.

It was in the areas of Defense and Strategic Trade, Biotechnology and Nano-technology, where the identified steps are to be taken specifically. A release to an Indian embassy said, "They also agreed to create new groups for focused attention on cooperation in Health IT and Civil Aviation."