With the government estimating an investment of $1 trillion in the infrastructure sector during the 2012-17 period, US companies are set to explore business opportunities in the Indian infrastructure and energy sectors.

According to US under secretary of state for economic affairs Robert Hormats, ?The Indian government is well on its way to invest more than $500 billion in infrastructure by 2012. The Planning Commission has set an ambitious target of investing more than $1 trillion in additional infrastructure by 2017.?

Hormats was speaking at a roundtable organised by the US-India Business Council ( USIBC ) on India?s infrastructure sector.

?The Indian government says that at least 50% of this investment must come from the private sector and 10%-15 % from FDI. This is a real opportunity for American investors,? he said.

?We continue to welcome you (Indian companies )and encourage Indian investments in the US… We will work with the Indian government and private sector to increase investments in both the countries,? said Hormats.

During April-December 2010-11, bilateral trade between India and the US was over $30 billion.

The session saw the participation of senior US government officials, as well as Indian and American business executives.

According to US Department of Energy deputy secretary Poneman, investments in energy sector would create opportunities for new jobs and a cleaner environment. ?These investments in our energy infrastructure will provide enormous opportunities to create new jobs, to enhance our energy security and to address climate change. That is why under President Obama?s leadership the US has made unprecedented investments in clean energy technology that are laying the foundation for a low carbon future,? he said, adding both the countries had come together to establish a Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Centre to undertake research in second-generation biofuels and solar energy.

?Under that initiative which is devoted to advancing clean energy research and development, the Department of Energy is joining with our Indian counterparts to launch a $100 million US-India Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Centre,? he added.

Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern said the developed nations should join hands with the developing nations with an aim to create jobs and raise our standards of living.