New Delhi/Washington, July 15 - Unfazed by the G8 ban on enrichment and re-processing (ENR) technologies, India is set to take its civil nuclear trade with the US forward by offering American companies two nuclear parks during Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's five-day visit to the country starting Friday.
Clinton's first visit to India after she became the Obama administration's chief diplomat begins in Mumbai Friday night.
The visit will focus on ushering in Phase III of the strategic partnership, which Clinton recently described as '3.0' version, borrowing an analogy from IT software.
Clinton's long-awaited trip is expected to see the first concrete move in re-starting nuclear trade since the two countries signed the landmark bilateral agreement last year, with India readying to provide two sites for nuclear reactors to be set up by US companies.
The announcement about the allocation of the two sites is likely to be made during Clinton's visit, reliable sources said.
The two sites are likely to be in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, the sources added.
In Mumbai, she will be staying at the Taj Mahal Hotel in an act of solidarity with the 26/11 victims. She will also meet top Indian businessman at a luncheon hosted by Ratan Tata, chairman of India-US CEOs forum.
She will also interact with volunteers of the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), an NGO, and a social event that will be attended by, among others, by film star Aamir Khan. A visit to St. Xavier's College is also on her itinerary.
Clinton will fly to New Delhi Sunday. She will attend a meet on climate change and interact with scientists working in agriculture at the Pusa Institute - two important areas of India-US cooperation.
Clinton will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani Monday. She flies to Thailand Tuesday to attend the meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Phuket.
With the G8 declaration at the recent L'Aquila summit banning the export of the sensitive ENR technologies, India will seek clarifications from the US when Manmohan Singh and Krishna meet Clinton.