New Delhi – The United States has removed some export restrictions on six Indian civilian nuclear and space facilities in an effort to increase high-technology trade between the two countries, a U.S. Embassy statement said.

&#34The practical effects of this would be to reduce the number of license applications for exports and re-exports to these six facilities,&#34 said Wednesday”s statement.

The United States has for decades restricted exports to India of so-called &#34dual use&#34 technology _ items Washington believes could be diverted from civilian to

military use _ because of concerns over missile and nuclear weapons proliferation.

The U.S. has also dropped export requirements for items that it fears can be used for nuclear weapons but are not covered by an international nonproliferation agreement, the statement said.

&#34This is a tangible result that delivers on (U.S. President George W.) Bush”s commitment to strengthen strategic and commercial relations between the United

States and India,&#34 U.S. Ambassador David Mulford was quoted as saying in the statement, carried by The Associated Press.

Under a July 18 pact between Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the United States agreed to share civilian nuclear technology with India, a deal that

signaled a growing alliance between India and the United States.

Three nuclear energy plants in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu and facilities belonging the Indian Space Research Organization and the

Space Applications Center are to benefit from the decision, the statement said.