The US on Sunday said it would not initiate any steps that impede India?s economic progress. While making a strong pitch for a low-carbon economy, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said, ?The US does not and will not do anything that will limit India?s economic progress. We believe that economic progress in India is in everyone?s interest and not just in the interest of Indians.? She was speaking at a conference on climate change at the ITC green building in Gurgaon.

Clinton also said India was well positioned to lead the fight against hunger through increasing agricultural yield and technology innovation.

While acknowledging the US? responsibility as the biggest historic emitter of greenhouse gas, she said, ?But we also believe that there is a way to eradicate poverty and develop sustainability that will lower significantly the carbon footprint of the energy that is produced and consumed to fuel that growth.?

Allaying India?s concern about negotiations on climate change, especially about the impact of binding cuts on greenhouse emissions on economies of developing countries, Clinton said addressing climate change and achieving economic growth are compatible and ?both countries can devise a plan that will dramatically change the way we produce, consume and conserve energy.?

Minister of state for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh, who was also present in the conference, categorically said, India would not accept any ?legally binding? reductions but assured that its carbon footprint would never exceed that of developed nations. He asserted that New Delhi was ?simply not in a position? to accept any legally binding emission reductions and made it clear that India was not running away from responsibilities on the issue.

India contributes 4% of the world?s emissions from burning fossil fuels, compared with 20% from the US.

Ramesh, however, said, ?Both sides have agreed on the need of partnership, concrete partnerships, on projects in various fields like energy efficiency, solar energy, biomass, energy-efficient buildings of the type that you are seeing here today.?

We have made a good beginning. We have taken a small step today. We will continue our engagements in multilateral forums. But we will also have bilateral engagements,? he added.

Later in the day, during a visit to Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in New Delhi, the visiting envoy said India has a critical role in fighting global hunger through increasing agricultural yield and technological innovation.

?To lift people out of poverty and to give every child born in India a chance to live up to his or her given potential is a goal that we share with you,? Clinton said.

While stating that mainly due success of ?green revolution?, despite having only 3% of total global agricultural land, India has been feeding its population, which is about 17% of the global population, Clinton said the country must invest more in ?processing and value addition? in agriculture sector.

On the critical role of private sector in increasing agricultural yield and promotion of food processing, Clinton said, ?We are going to explore partnership in agriculture & we can be helpful to India,? She also said that henceforth the official development assistance given to many countries including India for various feeding programme, would focused towards increasing agricultural yield so that hunger could be eliminated from the roots.

?We will be announcing five pillars of our cooperation with India. One of the strongest will be agriculture,? she said.