Successes and challenges in the India-U.S. relationship

Source: The post successes and challenges in the India-U.S. relationship has been created, based on the article “From warp speed to reset, the state of India-U.S. ties” published in “The Hindu” on 11th June 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 – International relations – bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

Context: The article discusses the ups and downs in the relationship between India and the U.S. over the past year since Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the U.S. It highlights the good progress in strategic areas but also points out disagreements and slow progress in some aspects, like multilateral cooperation and sensitive political issues.

For detailed information on Recent Development in India-US Relations read this article here

What has been successful in India-U.S. relations?

Strategic Trust and Agreements: Over the past decade, India and the U.S. have solidified their strategic trust, finalizing foundational agreements that enhance military cooperation and interoperability.

Military and Security Collaboration: The two countries have conducted numerous joint military exercises and coordinated maritime operations, demonstrating growing strategic alignment.

Reduction of Past Irritants: Historical issues such as concerns over Jammu and Kashmir and the relationship dynamics with Pakistan (de-hyphenation) have been effectively managed, smoothing bilateral relations.

Shared Global Perspectives: The collaboration extends to global platforms like the Quad, where both countries, along with Japan and Australia, address shared concerns about China’s aggressive stance in the Indo-Pacific region.

Expanding Dialogues: India and the U.S. have expanded their dialogues to cover a wide range of areas, including climate change, green energy, critical and emerging technologies, and outer space, fostering comprehensive strategic ties.

What challenges remain in the India-U.S. relationship?

Differences over Russia’s actions: The U.S. and India disagree on how to handle Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While the U.S. emphasizes international law and humanitarian issues, India considers the impact on global south countries, like disruptions in food and energy supplies.

Delayed high-level meetings: Logistical issues and the U.S.’s internal politics, such as the cancellation of planned visits by key U.S. officials due to the Gaza crisis and other scheduling conflicts, have slowed down cooperation within the Quad and other strategic initiatives.

Tensions over diplomatic comments: Critical comments from the U.S. State Department about India’s state of democracy and religious freedom, along with U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti’s remarks on Manipur and human rights, led to a diplomatic spat. In response, India summoned a senior U.S. diplomat.

Alleged assassination plot: The discovery of an alleged plot involving Indian security officials targeting a U.S. citizen has added a layer of distrust and complicated the bilateral relationship.

Way forward

India and the U.S. should focus on resolving diplomatic tensions by addressing concerns over democracy and alleged plots. They must also prioritize high-level meetings and strategic cooperation, like the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) review, to maintain momentum in their relationship, despite internal and external challenges.

Question for practice:

Discuss the key successes and challenges in the India-U.S. relationship.