The deepening disconnect

The deepening disconnect

Article:

1. SuhasiniHaider, author, analyze the postponement of the 2+2 Dialogue has come amid growing India-U.S. estrangement in South Asia.

Important Analysis:

2. The 2+2 Dialogue between the defence and foreign ministers of India and the United States schedule for July, has been postponed.
3. The dialogue, as the enhanced engagement between the ministers of foreign affairs and defence, was an outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the U.S. President Donald Trump’s meeting last June in Washington.
4. In the past two decades, the two sides differed on many aspects such as:

a. Since January, the U. S’s Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act against those conducting business with Russia and Iran.

b. The U.S. decision to walk out of the Iran nuclear deal have come right up against India’s interest.

c. As a result, India tightened its engagement with Russia, China and Iran.

d. Recently, the two governments have failed to make progress on signing foundational agreements:

e. Four foundational agreement includes:

• The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) agreement.
• The Logistics Supply Agreement (LSA).
• The Communication and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA)

5. The U.S’s South Asia policy, also appears to be in trouble.
6. According to the policy accounted 10 months ago, India was to be central to the U.S.’s efforts in Afghanistan while Pakistan would be ‘put on notice’ for its support to terror groups, including those that target India.
7. The U. S. also sought to “greylist” Pakistan at the Financial at Financial Action Task Force on terror financing.
8. However, there are ample evidences that Mr Trump’s South Asia policy is veering towards the U.S’s Af-Pak policy of the past with the U.S. engaging Pakistan to help with Afghanistan.

U.S. –Pakistan engagement:

9. The first indicator of this shift is the increase in U.S. –Pakistan engagement, with rapid improvement in Pakistan Afghanistan ties.
10. In March,  then Pakistan Prime Minister, Shahid Abbasi, met U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence.
11. Just after this meeting,  later Afghan President  Ashraf Ghani and Mr Abbasi finalized the seven-point Afghanistan Pakistan Action plan for peace and solidarity.
12. While, the U.S.  State department has called for Pakistan to act against all groups operating in its territory, including LeT, JeM, its own military actions have left many in Delhi bemused.
13. According to U.S. base Bureau of Investigative Journalism, American forces carried out more than 100 air and drone strikes in Afghanistan in 2017 and more than 40 in   The corresponding figure in Pakistan are 5 and 1 respectively.

Chabahar factor:

14. There are India’s regional concerns that stem from Mr Trump’s Iran policy, which has spurred new sanctions against countries doing business in Iran .
15. Imposed November 4 deadline to reduce oil imports from Iran to “Zero”.
16. The impact of American restrictions will be felt in Chabahar Port, once billed as India’s gateway to Afghanistan, and a key component of its role in the U.S.’s South Asia Policy.
17. India is made perforce to yield to the U.S. on cutting oil imports; the Iranian regime is likely to look with disfavor at India’s engagement in Chabahar as well.
18. Conclusion:

• Rescheduling the dialogue is crucial for both the nations