The U.S.-India Partnership: It Matters

Partnership between India and US is today viewed as the most essential for many global issues and stable global system. These two countries share lot of things in common like vision, core val­ues of freedom, anti-terrorist policies, democracy, trade, opportunity and growth. India-US relationship has been on positive side of growth for a long time. This partnership trend allows huge oppurtunities for both countries to recover from recent financial slump ,to remove global terrorism, and to contribute to world growth. Let us look into various fields where their partnership exists and how it really matters.


The U.S.-India Economic Partnership
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There is no question that the U.S.-India economic relationship is strong. Year by year, overall trade with American exports to India and American imports of Indian apparel, textiles, gemstones, and jewelry increases. This makes America as India's largest trading partner and India one of America's top export destinations. The growth in two-way trade between the countries, which has crossed $40 billion annually and is expected to grow at double-digit rates well into the next decade.

The private sectors of both countries have been pioneers in bringing together the two largest free-market democracies. Many American IT companies such as Microsoft , Dell ,Cisco ,IBM are investing more in India. Technically Banglore in India is the Asia's Silicon Valley. Its the 4th best IT hub on which many US companies rely on. India is a vital market for US companies.

"India is a vital market for American companies and increasing bilateral trade and investment ties is necessary to driving job creation and innovation in both countries." says Thomas J. Donohue Donohue, president and CEO of world's largest business federation.

India hopes to target more foreign direct investment on infrastructure projects that will make its econo­my even more attractive to American firms. India is demonstrating a new global economic presence. India needs to pick up the pace of reform. Faster privatization; better enforcement of property rights; and elimination of restrictive labor laws, high tariff rates, export subsi­dies, and import taxes will allow the Indian econo­my to achieve its full potential.

For more increased results US has to open its markets by eliminating harmful subsidies and barriers to trade, including those in agriculture that affect the U.S.-India economic rela­tionship. More free trade agreements has to be passed with interests of both countries. US and Indian companies have to increase trade and investment, expand infrastructure, and leverage technology to create jobs in both countries.

Developing infrastructure and technologies at India is the need of the hour that will integrate American businesses of all sizes into supply chain. This is high time for both governments to take step towards accelerating mutually beneficial commercial relations.

The U.S.-India Nuclear Partnership
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Nuclear power source is the only dependable source of power in upcoming years. India and US share a very healthy relationship in the Nuclear powered world by signing 123 agreement which was a big leap in nuclear power generation. 'Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill' is on the verge of conclusion, which will lead to a major stepping stone towards expanding trading opportunities and enhancing energy security in India. Data says this nuclear agreement represents $150 billion in business potential for US companies which will invest in India.

There were many hurdles before reaching an agreement on nuclear terms. Neither America nor India got everything they wanted in this deal. Nuclear-armed China and Pakistan as its neighbors, India cannot reduce its fissile material production. That is typical, of course, for any diplomatic effort for historical change.

Nuclear Security Summit was a sign of healty relationship ahead. They both share the common idea of nuclear security as both were threatened repeatedly by terrorist activities. Nuclear terrorism is one of the most challenging threats to both. Protecting nuclear materials and preventing nuclear smuggling was one thing both countries will always wanted to happen to erase global terrorism.

The U.S.-India Defense Partnership
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Security cooperation between two countries has seen tremendous progress in recent years. Washington and New Delhi have signed a landmark defense framework agreement in 2005 that calls for expanded joint military exercis­es, increased defense-related trade, and establishment of a defense and procurement production group.

In area of naval and air-force, US has helped India by supplying their defense armaments. US has transferred an amphibious transport ship which was welcomed as it started a new era in naval cooperation. The United States has also offered F/A-18 and F-16 aircraft with the possibility of co-production arrangements, which could help India meet its advanced fighter jet needs.

In the past, Indian defense industrialists and officials were deterred from buying American military appliances. The pas­sage of the civil nuclear cooperation legislation had opened the door for a major boost in defense trade. Of course, there has been many areas of dis-agreement with both their strategic interests. One of those areas of disagreement has been over America's evolving relationship with Pakistan like the willing­ness of the United States to transfer military hardware to Pakistan, including F-16 fighter jets. Indians, as they believe they have to deal with Pakistani terrorist day and night all years, this type of military sharings between US and Pakistan has caused little hiccup in their relationships. But these mis-understandings has to be brought to an end with proper bilateral talks on where they stand on Pakistan.

The U.S.-India Political Partnership
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India has an out-reaching foreign policy with all countries. India is looking out­ward in all directions, cultivating partnerships that serve its interests. India's policy with Russia and China has always been looked by US as to counter-weight its influence around the world. India often hosts trilateral meetings with Russia and China. Certainly, India and Russia have had long relations, and India and China are in the midst of a rap­prochement.

It has been looked upon by US as a note of caution that China-India-Russia are grouping as an effort to counter U.S. influ­ence in the region. US always points out that Beijing shares neither India's vision of a peaceful world nor its values of freedom, human rights, and non-proliferation. China continues to have issues in long-time border disputes with India. China is actively engaging India's South Asian neighbors in military and economic ways that may be destabilizing.

Mr Barack Obama, described India - US ties as “robust”, with lots more to share in times ahead not just in bilateral relations but also in India making a contribution to addressing key international issues. US and India have to set aside the differences regarding the trilateral meetings and have to not get caught up in the fog of anti-American rhetoric. This would really be appreciative on their part.

The U.S.-India Anti-terrorist Partnership
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This is one area where both US and India co-operate to counter global terrorism.
These two countries have been the victims of terrorist's man-slaughter actions regularly. Over the last two decades, India has consistently sought to prioritize the need to combat terrorism in international forums, particularly in the United Nations. India and United States pursue the campaign against terrorism, they established a Joint Working Group in Countering Terrorism in early 2000. The Joint Working Group has proved to be a useful mechanism for exchange of information, intelligence sharing, anti-terrorism training programmes, etc. and for strengthening institutional links between crime prevention agencies in the two countries.

The issue of access to David Headley, on which the Americans have appeared ambivalent, has once again raised the concerns of Indians, although Mr Obama have responded sympathetically to Dr Singh’s expression of concern.

The Headley issue coinciding with the gifting of armaments to Pakistan — although to fight terrorism in the Pakistan-Afghanistan belt — has heightened concerns here. The history is that Pakistan has used US-supplied arms against India. Mr Obama has given the impression that he understands India's concerns about the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan and said the US was engaging Pakistan on these issues. India hopes for the best from Mr.Obama and they expect the results to be productive.

The U.S.-India Educational Partnership
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Apart from political , economic and defense ties, US has also supported evolving field of international education with fellowship support and facilitating academic dialogue between them.

India - US educational council which has kindled the interests on both countries to share the areas of collaboration that include research, distant education, vocational education, skill development, exchange of faculty, models of public private partnership and also expertise for the setting up of universities. Industry and education should come together for the bilateral relationship to move forward. Because there is a lot of private sector industry and the university system in the United States, which is very, keen on collaborating with India. And there are lots of people at this end both in the industry as well as in the private sector which are keen on collaborating with the United States. So this way we can bring the industries and the education sector together.

India is also keen in Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010 which will allow foreign universities to setup campuses in India and offer degrees. This is a milestone which will enhance choices, increase competition and benchmark quality of education in India.

Thus these partnerships will always lead to a win-win situatin for both countries. America and India both have much to gain from their growing strategic relationship. This doesnot benefit only them but the world indeed. Together, they can show to the world the value of free­dom and democracy. Together, they can better deal with economic crisis, global terrorism , technological developments and the proliferation of nucle­ar weapons. Together, they can create greater growth, stability, knowledge, freedom, development, peace and more. As the two largest democracies in the world, India and the United States have to fight for global peace and stability with joint hands and make world a better place to live in. They owe it to the rest of the world.