VOA常速英语2008年-Gates Visit to India Latest Sign of Growing Mil

By Steve Herman
New Delhi
26 February 2008

India's prime minister and defense¹ minister are among the top government officials who are to meet in New Delhi with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.  VOA correspondent Steve Herman reports from the Indian capital the visit is the latest example of growing defense ties between the United States and India.
 
Robert Gates, on his first visit to India as U.S. defense secretary, is hoping to expand military cooperation between the two democracies.

India's warming ties with the United States in defense and maritime² security come after an era of a close military relationship between New Delhi and Moscow.

Speaking briefly³ to reporters following his arrival in the Indian capital Tuesday afternoon, Gates noted⁴ that the relationship has been steadily⁵ growing since the two countries signed a defense framework agreement in 2005.

"We have as broad a range of interactions between the American and the Indian militaries, certainly from our side, as we have almost anywhere in the world," Gates said. "And I'm here to look at ways in which we can further expand that relationship."

India's government, in an official statement, says the two-day visit gives further impetus⁶ to ongoing⁷ defense cooperation.

Gates' trip comes as India prepares to accept bids for a lucrative⁸ contract for 126 state-of-the-art jet
fighter planes. Two American companies, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, are among those vying⁹ for the sale, which is expected to be worth ten billion dollars.  Also in the competition are Russian and European manufacturers.

The closer defense ties between Washington and New Delhi are not without domestic critics here,
especially those on the left who oppose what they call American desires to draw traditionally unaligned India into an alliance with the United States.

The former director of the Central Intelligence Agency denies he will be trying to push a stalled civil nuclear agreement between the two countries.

"I'm here independent of that to see how we can expand the military-to-military relationship, independent of the civil nuclear agreement," Gates said.

The landmark¹⁰ deal would allow nuclear-armed India to receive reactor¹¹ fuel in spite of India not being a signatory to international non-proliferation and arms control agreements. 

As to whether the controversial deal would be concluded, the defense secretary told reporters he "gave up forecasting the future" when he left the CIA.

As Gates arrived, India announced it had successfully test-fired, for the first time from under the sea, a nuclear-capable missile.

The Defense Ministry¹² says the test, off India's southeastern coast, was launched from an undersea platform. The K-15 missile, with a reported top range of 700 kilometers, is to be deployed¹³ on a nuclear submarine India is building.

India's triad capability¹⁴ -- launching missiles from land, air and sea -- would put India into an exclusive club along the United States, Russia, France and China.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

3 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

6 impetus   

n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力

参考例句：

• This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。
• Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。

7 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

8 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

9 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

10 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

11 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

12 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

13 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

14 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。