Washington: The United States is planning new initiatives to expand trade in sensitive high-tech space and nuclear goods with India and is close to completing the agreement, the US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said.

Labelled "The Glide Path", it would allow expansion of trade in high-tech areas, space launch equipment and the nuclear industry, he said.

For two years India had pressed for an agreement in these areas, but "we also had to protect certain red lines that we had with respect to proliferation" because of fears the trade could be diverted for weapons, Powell told 'The Washington Post'.

Under a three-phase plan, he said, India, a nuclear weapon power, would take a series of steps, such as strengthening domestic export control laws. The United States would respond with enhanced market opportunities.

"We've had a very productive set of discussions with the Indians over the last, almost two years now, about these issues and how close we could get to satisfying their interests without crossing our red lines," he said, adding the "Glide Path" was a way of bringing to closure this debate.

He said it has "gotten a good reception in India, and at an appropriate time in the future it will be announced".

PTI