Washington is to resume the sale of defence equipment to Delhi which had been banned under sanctions imposed after India conducted nuclear tests in 1998.

The new agreement will include joint military training programmes, exercises and regular high-level talks between military officials of the two countries.

It follows two days of discussions between the US Under Secretary of Defence, Douglas Feith, and the Indian Defence Secretary, Yogendra Narain, in Delhi.

Analysts say the announcement is a clear departure from previous bilateral defence ties which were stunted by Washington's imposition of military sanctions.

Joint statement

"A strengthened bilateral relationship will assist both countries to counter threats such as the spread of weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism, narcotics trafficking and piracy", a joint statement issued in Delhi said.