Bangalore: The United States today (June 21, 2004) expressed its desire to "deepen" the ongoing dialogue with India on missile defence and engage it in a "more sophisticated" and advanced level progressively.

US Ambassador to India David C Mulford told an Indo-US space meet and reporters later that the dialogue was a "phased operation" and America expected to engage in a "sophisticated level of dialogue and providing more cooperative approach".

"There is already conversation that is going on. The question is the degree of sophistication over confidentiality if you like," he said.

"We need to deepen that (the ongoing dialogue)", Mulford said after addressing Indian and American space scientists at a five-day conference in Bangalore.

Asked to be more specific on the ongoing dialogue on missile defence, Mulford said US visualised it to reach a stage where "we will engage on a higher level of sophistication".

Earlier, Mulford told the meet that through the vision of leaders of both countries, "we have embarked upon the Next Steps in the Strategic Partnership Initiative" which set out a joint vision to expand cooperation in civil nuclear, civil space and high-technology trade and to expand the dialogue in missile defence.

"There is still however, work ahead of us to realise the potential of this vision," he said.

Noting that implementing cooperation in these areas posed complex problems, he said progress would entail understandings involving the handling of sensitive technologies. "with goodwill and trust, we can move forward".

Experts from both countries, he said, had been working diligently to achieve closure on the first phase.

Saying political and economic factors "kept us from resuming cooperation in space science at previous levels", he said "now, in the early years of 21st century, we are actively seeking to re-energise our cooperation, building on past trust and achievements to realise the vision of our current leaders."

"We all want to increase high-tech cooperation and commerce between the United States and India," he said.