{"id":1716,"date":"2023-06-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-28T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/28-06-2023\/strategic-highindia-u-s-ties-and-strategic-cooperation\/"},"modified":"2023-06-28T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T00:00:00","slug":"strategic-highindia-u-s-ties-and-strategic-cooperation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/28-06-2023\/strategic-highindia-u-s-ties-and-strategic-cooperation","title":{"rendered":"Strategic high:India-U.S. ties and strategic cooperation"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent U. S. visit will boost bilateral ties and deepen strategic defence & technology collaboration.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Defence & technology collaboration between India & USA<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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The recent announcements that will take the defence ties between the countries to a new high:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Potential <\/span><\/span><\/span>joint manufacture of General Electric (GE)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Aerospace\u2019s <\/span><\/span><\/span>F414 engines<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in <\/span><\/span><\/span>India <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>by <\/span><\/span><\/span>GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> to power India\u2019s indigenous <\/span><\/span><\/span>Light Combat Aircraft MK2<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> & the twin-engine Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft <\/span><\/span><\/span>MK1<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The <\/span><\/span><\/span>purchase <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>of 31 high-altitude, long-endurance <\/span><\/span><\/span>Predator-MQ-9B armed unmanned aerial vehicles<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Deepened Military cooperation:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India has bought from the U.S.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The<\/span><\/span><\/span> C-130 and C-17 Globemaster transport<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> aircraft,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
AH-64E Apache attack helicopters<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
CH-47 Chinook<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and <\/span><\/span><\/span>MH-60R multi-role helicopters<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
P-8I maritime patrol aircraft<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
M777 ultra light howitzers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, among others.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
The U.S. has been aggressively pitching its<\/span><\/span><\/span> fighter jets, the F-16 and F\/A-18<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
India and the U.S. had tried and shelved an <\/span><\/span><\/span>earlier engine development effort<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> under the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Defence Technology and Trade Initiative<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> some years ago.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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But now, the new jet engine deal is an investment in each other to address the shared security concerns, while continuing to navigate the disagreements.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Significance<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Geopolitical:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Top among their shared concerns is <\/span><\/span><\/span>China <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>and its expansion in the Indo-Pacific.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The U.S. also wants to wean India away from its defence partnership with <\/span><\/span><\/span>Russia <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>in the long term.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Technological:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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From a technological perspective, the newly announced joint initiatives in jet <\/span><\/span><\/span>engine production, semiconductors and space technology<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> present an <\/span><\/span><\/span>opportunity for India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> to develop a defence industry of its own, and improve its technological competence across the board.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
India-USA Relations<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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About:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India and the US share values of democracy, rule of law, human rights, and religious freedom that bind the countries together.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Bilateral engagement:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India and the United States enjoy a <\/span><\/span><\/span>comprehensive global strategic\u00a0 partnership<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> covering almost all areas of human endeavour, driven by\u00a0 shared democratic values, convergence of interests on a range of issues,\u00a0 and vibrant people-to-people contacts.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Regular exchanges at the leadership-level<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> have been an integral\u00a0 element of the expanding bilateral engagement.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Despite COVID-19 pandemic, India-U.S. cooperation witnessed\u00a0 intense engagement under various bilateral dialogue mechanisms in a wide\u00a0 range of areas including defence, security, health, trade, economic, science\u00a0 & technology, energy and people-to-people ties.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Defence and Security:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India-US defence cooperation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> is based on \u201cNew Framework for IndiaUS Defence Cooperation\u201d, which was renewed for a period of ten years in\u00a0 2015.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
In 2016, the <\/span><\/span><\/span>defence relationship<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> was designated as a <\/span><\/span><\/span>Major\u00a0 Defence Partnership (MDP).<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The MDP recognizes a shared desire to build\u00a0 a comprehensive, enduring and mutually beneficial defence partnership.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Several <\/span><\/span><\/span>defence agreements<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> have also been signed in recent years.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Bilateral military exercises and defence exchanges <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>are important\u00a0 aspects of deepening <\/span><\/span><\/span>military-to-military cooperation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Quad:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The four Quad partners (India, Japan, United States & Australia) <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>first formed a \u201cCore Group\u201d in 2004, to swiftly mobilise aid during the joint response to the 2004 Tsunami. Since 2017, Quad engagements have increased and intensified.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
In 2019, the first Quad Foreign Ministerial Meeting was held in New York (December 2019).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Counter Terrorism Cooperation:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Cooperation in counter-terrorism has seen considerable progress with information exchange, operational cooperation and sharing of counterterrorism technology and equipment. <\/span><\/span><\/span>India-U.S. Joint Working Group on\u00a0 Counter-Terrorism<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> oversees the expanding CT cooperation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Cyber Security Cooperation:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The India-US Cyber Framework <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>signed in September 2016, provides for expanding cooperation in the cyber domain.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Trade & Economic Relations:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The rapidly expanding trade and commercial linkages form an important component of the multi-faceted partnership between India and the United States.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The U.S. is India\u2019s second largest trading partner and a major destination for our exports of goods and services.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The US is one of the top 5 investment destinations for Indian FDI.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Indian Diaspora:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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About 4.2 million Indian Americans\/Indian origin people reside in the US. The Indian Americans [3.18 million] constitute the third largest Asian ethnic group in the US.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Challenges<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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India\u2019s preference to its strategic autonomy:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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While its embrace with the U.S. is getting stronger, deeper and more comprehensive, India is also cognisant of the need to maintain its strategic autonomy.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
U.S. strategy at the moment is focused on creating a new bipolarity in the world, which India is not comfortable with.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Conflicting positions:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India\u2019s position on Ukraine war:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India\u2019s <\/span><\/span><\/span>muted criticism of the Russian invasion of Ukraine<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in 2022 expectedly led to some frustration in the West, raising <\/span><\/span><\/span>questions over India\u2019s credibility as a security partner<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Even with converging Indo-US strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, <\/span><\/span><\/span>differences persist<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> between Washington and New Delhi.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Position on Indo-Pacific region:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The US views the Indo-Pacific as a region where <\/span><\/span><\/span>rules-based liberal international order<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> needs to be preserved <\/span><\/span><\/span>vis-\u00e0-vis China\u2019s assertive rise<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and even the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Russian threat<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
By contrast, India<\/span><\/span><\/span> does not see the Indo-Pacific as an exclusive group<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> of actors in a region that is against any country.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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New Delhi<\/span><\/span><\/span> considers it an \u201cinclusive\u201d region<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and has, at times, even signalled the <\/span><\/span><\/span>inclusion of China and Russia <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>within its definition of the Indo-Pacific.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Way ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Overall, India-US strategic and security ties are not perfect and are unlikely to be so in the coming future.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The spectre of divergences will continue to exist within the role compatibility the two enjoy.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
India\u2019s desire to protect its borders and sovereignty aligns with U.S. interests. This is a new era of mutual trust between the two countries, and it should act as a force for stability in the region.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Daily Mains Question<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\u00a0<\/p>\n
[Q] <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>What is the significance of India\u2019s deepening strategic, defence & technology collaboration with the USA? What are the spectres of divergence between them?\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
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In Context Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent U. S. visit will boost bilateral ties and deepen strategic defence & technology collaboration. Defence & technology collaboration between India & USA The recent announcements that will take the defence ties between the countries to a new high: Potential joint manufacture of General Electric (GE) Aerospace\u2019s F414 engines […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1717,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[30,34,35,29],"class_list":["post-1716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis","tag-gs-2","tag-india-foreign-relations","tag-international-organisations-groupings","tag-thehindu"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/55040Screenshot_2.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1716","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1716"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1716\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}