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THE CONTEXT: This month marks a year since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the United States, where U.S. President Joseph Biden rolled out the red carpet and the U.S. offered to restart the decade-old plan to transfer technology for jet engines to India. The visit was marked by many such announcements of strategic and high-tech cooperation, with the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) considered a major success for bilateral relations that would set the stage for a whole new phase in ties. However, one year later, the pace of the relationship has not matched those ambitions for several external and internal reasons.
THE ISSUES:
- Strategic and High-Tech Cooperation: The U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) was highlighted as a major success, aiming to enhance bilateral relations through strategic and high-tech cooperation.
- Multilateral Cooperation and Global Conflicts: Differences in approaches to global conflicts, such as Russia’s war in Ukraine, have been a point of contention. The U.S. frames the conflict in terms of international law and humanitarian principles, while India considers historical contexts and the impact on the Global South.
- China Factor and Quad Cooperation: Concerns over China’s aggression, particularly regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea, have influenced India-U.S. cooperation within the Quad. Logistical issues and scheduling conflicts have affected the momentum of this cooperation.
- Diplomatic and Human Rights Tensions: Strained diplomatic relations due to comments on human rights and democracy in India, as well as the absence of an Indian Ambassador in Washington, have created friction. The U.S. State Department’s reports on religious freedom and democracy in India have further exacerbated tensions.
- Assassination Plots and Security Concerns: Allegations of Indian involvement in assassination plots against Khalistani separatists in the U.S. and Canada have caused discomfort and raised security concerns within U.S. intelligence and legislative bodies.
- Economic and Trade Relations: The U.S. has emerged as India’s biggest trading partner, with significant increases in bilateral trade. However, economic tensions persist, such as the U.S. withdrawal of duty-free benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program and India’s protectionist policies under the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Enhancing Diplomatic Engagement and Communication: Establish a schedule for regular high-level meetings between Indian and US officials to address ongoing issues and enhance mutual understanding. Regular high-level engagements can help mitigate misunderstandings and build trust, as seen in the successful dialogues in the past decade. Strengthening diplomatic channels can help manage sensitive issues like human rights and democracy, which have been points of contention.
- Balancing Strategic Autonomy with Strategic Partnerships: Form coalitions based on specific issues rather than broad alliances, allowing India to maintain its strategic autonomy while cooperating with the US on mutual interests. Develop flexible alliances that can adapt to changing geopolitical landscapes without compromising national interests. The concept of issue-based coalitions aligns with India’s current foreign policy approach, which seeks to balance strategic autonomy with necessary partnerships. Flexible alliances can help manage the complexities of India’s relationships with both the US and other global powers like Russia and China.
- Expanding Economic and Technological Cooperation: Promote joint ventures in critical and emerging technologies, such as semiconductors, AI, and quantum computing. Negotiate trade agreements that address mutual economic interests and reduce trade barriers. Joint ventures in technology can leverage the strengths of both nations, fostering innovation and economic growth. Trade agreements can enhance economic ties and provide a stable framework for bilateral trade, which has been growing steadily.
- Addressing Security and Defense Concerns: Enhance collaboration in defense technology, including co-production and joint development of military hardware. Strengthen maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region to counterbalance China’s influence. Defense technology collaboration, such as the INDUS-X initiative, can significantly boost military capabilities and interoperability. Maritime security cooperation is crucial for maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific, a shared strategic interest of both nations.
- Managing Multilateral Relations and Global Issues: Increase cooperation in multilateral forums like the UN, G-20, and Quad to address global challenges such as climate change, terrorism, and regional security. Develop mechanisms for conflict resolution that can address differences over issues like the Russia-Ukraine war and human rights concerns. Multilateral engagement can help align India and the US on global issues, enhancing their influence and effectiveness in international forums. Conflict resolution mechanisms are essential for managing differences and maintaining a stable partnership, as evidenced by past compromises on contentious issues.
THE CONCLUSION:
Given the government’s need to adjust to new coalition realities after the shock of the results of the general election as well as the fast-closing window of engagement with the U.S. government as Washington heads into “lame-duck” season, officials and leaders have their task cut out for them. While a possible Trump presidency in November might resolve many of the problems between them, it will most certainly introduce much more uncertainty to their ties as well. The opportunity for a Biden-Modi meeting this week then, followed by the visit by Mr. Sullivan to Delhi soon to complete the iCET review, as decided by the leaders during their phone call, is both desired and necessary for the restart they require, a year after it seemed that the relationship had reached “warp speed”.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTIONS:
Q.1 What is the significance of Indo-US defense deals over Indo-Russian defense deals? Discuss concerning stability in the Indo-Pacific region. 2020
Q.2 What introduces friction into the ties between India and the United States is that Washington is still unable to find for India a position in its global strategy, which would satisfy India’s National self-esteem and ambitions” Explain with suitable examples. 2019
Q.3 In what ways would the ongoing US-Iran Nuclear Pact Controversy affect the national interest of India? How should India respond to this situation? 2018
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q.1 The India-U.S. relationship has seen significant strategic and high-tech cooperation over the past decades, yet it faces several challenges and areas of contention. Discuss the key achievements and ongoing issues in the bilateral relationship, particularly in the context of recent geopolitical developments and internal political dynamics in both countries. How can both nations navigate these challenges to strengthen their partnership?”
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