Juster, in Delhi for the second meeting of the India-US High Technology Cooperation Group, said both countries had agreed to work together to prevent the proliferation of sensitive technologies.

"India wants to see strong progress in the area of expanding trade with the US in strategic goods and technologies, as well as in the civil space and civilian (nuclear energy) sphere," Juster told a press conference.

"The US remains committed to enhancing our cooperation in each of these important areas in keeping with our laws and national security concerns. We continue to grant India the widest possible access to dual-use technologies and goods."

The US recently eased its rules on the export to India of dual-use technology or hi-tech products that could also have military applications.

Washington slapped military sanctions on India and Pakistan when the rivals conducted nuclear tests in 1998. The sanctions were lifted after both countries promised support for the US-led "war on terrorism" launched following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

US defence firms including Lockheed Martin are hoping to sell equipment to India, whose military had long avoided US supplies. India still relies on its Cold War ally Russia for more than 70 percent of its military equipment.

"Since the lifting of sanctions only a small percentage of our trade with India in dual-use goods and technologies are subject to controls," said Juster.

"There is a misconception that high-tech exports are subject to a great degree of controls. The approval rate has gone up from 84 percent in 2002 to 90 percent in 2003. We have approved 200 export licences this year," said Juster.

Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal told tthe press conference a "broad category" of controlled goods and technologies were more easily available to most Indian importers but he pushed for further easing of sanctions on dual-use technologies.

"We recognise that a broad category of controlled goods and technologies are now available easily to most importers in India," said Sibal.

"But there are critical areas, not necessarily in value terms, in which we believe our relationship has remained a prisoner of the past.

"For too long, technology transfer issues between India and the US were a metaphor of political and strategic differences between us. They created constraints for cooperation not only in military uses of technologies but also on their civilian applications."

Juster said US exports to India subject to control in 2002 was estimated at just one percent or 38 million dollars of total exports.

"We all sincerely hope that our trade moves onto a sustained, high growth trajectory in both directions so that we can speak less about flat chapatis (Indian bread) and more about our shared expanding cake," said Sibal.

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