India's No.1 PU & Degree With Integrated IAS & IPS(UPSC/PSC) Training College.
STRENGTHENING INDIA -US RELATIONS
Syllabus:
- GS-2– Bilateral relations between India and USA, USA’s hegemony ,Maintaining Balance of power
Focus :
- This article illustrates emergence of India – U.S. relations as a significant focus of attention. The partnership that Delhi has to be active and committed in order to maintain and enhance this beneficial relation. It focuses on explaining how both Democrats and Republics support the India, the importance of this alliance and what is ahead for the partnership in the next US adminstration.
Source-TH
Introduction
- Presently India and the United States can be seen to be witnessing a burgeoning partnership within the international system.
- Looking ahead to the next presidential election in the U. S. of America, it is still possible to analyze the potential results of the future elections that are probably going to affect the relations between India and USA.
- In contrast with many other countries, India seems ready and willing to retain and even advance its relations with the United States irrespective of the policies of the next president of the country either belonging to the Republican or Democratic party.
- Historically the relations between India and the United States of America have been quite cordial though they were not very close in the earlier period.
Evolution Since 2000:
- Indo-U. S. relations have been on positive path especially since the visit of President Bill Clinton to India in March year 2000.
- In this relationship, all successive U. S Presidents, right from George W. Bush, Barrack Obama, Donald Trump down to Joe Biden have played an active role in enhancing it.
- India’s political leadership over the years in the likes of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi have also actively championed the bilateral relations.
Bipartisan Support:
- The political support of India- U. S relations has been a bipartisan affair in both states enabling continuity irrespective of the changed guard.
- This has been clearly demonstrated in the strategies, economical and defense partnership that has been formed in the past two decades.
India’s Unique Position Among US’s Partners
Resilience to Political Change:
- Contrary to many of the American allies in Europe and Asia who are apprehensive about Trump’s political ascendance, India has had good relations with the U. S. no matter which party is in power.
- Such resilience has stemmed from India’s capacity to positively interact with various U. S. administrations given their various policy orientations.
Strategic Significance:
- China, Russia, the European Union, Japan and some other partners constitute only part of comprehensive strategic cooperation with the U. S., which is a far-reaching comprehensive and strategic partner of India.
- Although an important trading partner, China remains India’s largest trade deficit partner and it actively competes with it especially in the disputed borders.
- Russia has many military affiliation with the U. S., however, it does not possess the economical and technological strength that the latter has.
Indian Diaspora:
- It is worth noting that there are quite a number of Indians reside in the United States with an estimated population of five million and they continuously foster the relations between the two countries.
Managing Identified Strategic Mismatches
Perception vs. Reality:
- However, the growth has progressively been increasing between India and U.S with India recording approximately 500 Million in 2011.
- There is still much negative outlooks in the think tanks, media, and academia about this partnership in the future.
- Often every quarrel is considered as a possibility for a deal while any new opportunities are easily doubted.
- Thus, this gap between rhetoric and the rational choice may be less appreciable as the relationship is kept on developing.
Indian Establishment’s Engagement:
- Indians’ heavy interaction with the successive administrations in the U.S have ensured that the Republicans and Democrats get to know them well.
- This is backed up by ‘the second track’ interactions between the Indian and which conveys strong support across the political spectrum in the United States of America.
Congressional Support:
- Currently India has been able to cultivate a good relationship with the U. S. Congress, enduring support cutting across the aisles.
Responsibility of the U. S. Corporate Sector
Economic Ties:
- America’s business industry has a central part to play in how the United States interacts with the rest of the world and Indian connections with the US trade and technology have received vigorous patronage from the America’s corporate worlds.
- These economic interactions are important for the strengthening of the bilateral relations especially in area of technology and trade.
Technology Collaboration:
- The partner has grown over time mainly attributed to the expanding cooperation between the technology industries of the two countries.
- India’s engagement in such technology club with the U. S., EU, Singapore, and South Korea will possibly remain in the future U. S. administrations.
Key Issues of Relations
Immigration:
- For India immigration is a sensitive and highly charged political policy in the U. S. and therefore depends on which ever administration is in power.
- Although Trump represented and supported the idea of the America First policy with the sentinel policy, making immigration to America less likely Democratic candidates like Kamala Harris take a stance that involves reforming the immigration system to make it more legal-based and less of a transit hub.
- Other issues for example India’s worries over cases of illegal Indian migration to the U. S will require diplomacy to be solved with the help of Washington.
Trade:
- Harris has spoken ill of Trump’s policies to make tariffs specifically arguing that these are bad for the American people. This position is somewhat a relief for Indian exporters.
- This strategy of the Biden administration of creating a more robust and diversified logistics network and strengthening trade with reliable partners are in sync with the Indian economic agenda.
Technology:
- From her rootedness in California and her membership in Biden’s National Space Council, Harris is in a good place to deepen the U.S.-India technological relationship.
- Another factor that could give her vast contribution to future cooperation is her leadership on the governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Eurasian Security:
- At the same time, Harris has pledged strong support to NATO and the Ukrainian defense as the issues of New Delhi’s symbiotic ties with Moscow remain relevant.
- India will have to tread cautiously while dealing with such geopolitical realities and it has both Russia, Europe and the U. S.
China’s Strategic Challenge
Convergence on Asian Security:
- This is because China’s aggression in Asia’s political and economic scene has brought India and the U. S. closer together.
In both Trump and Biden’s presidency, the aim of creating a multipolar Asia to challenge the emergent potential Chinese domination has become a popular concept.
Indo-Pacific Strategy:
- Harris has been engaging in the formation of the U. S Indo-Pacific strategy, with the focus on the partnerships for constraining the china’s dominance over the region.
- India will also play a central part in this strategy in order to ensure that the region’s security is not threatened.
Future Outlook:
- It is therefore clear that no partnership can run for long without systematic and consistent endeavors starting at the political and bureaucratic sphere.
- In such circumstances India has to ensure that differences do not transform into dispute.
- India should look at its relationship with the U. S. as one that should be made even more significant as the future progress unwinds.
- The future U.S administration will also hold potential for India to further strengthen its relationship with Washington more so in technology, trade, and security.
Associated Article
Mains UPSC Question
GS 2
What has been the processes in the progression of India U. S. relations after year 2000, and discussed the factors that have had most influence on the strategic convergence. What strategies should India adopt in the light of the emerging changes in the politico – economic calculus of the U. S.? Top of FormBottom of Form(250 words)
