New Delhi, Oct 10 (SPA) -- India and the US will resume discussions here later today on the second phase of the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) covering high technology trade, civilian nuclear and space programmes as also on stepping up defense cooperation. US Under-Secretary of State for Commerce Kenneth Juster will hold extensive parleys with National Security Adviser J N Dixit and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran to explore ways to carry forward this process, the Press Trust of India reported. Just ahead of the meeting in New York on September 21 between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W Bush, the two sides had successfully concluded the first phase of the NSSP with the US easing restrictions on supply of equipment and technology for India's civilian space and nuclear programmes, which included removing ISRO from a prohibition list, clearing a major obstacle in Indo-US strategic ties.--SPA1524 Local Time 1224 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/209920