For the sake of the Indo-Pacific:

For the sake of the Indo-Pacific:

Context:

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit to New Delhi this week comes at an important moment for both countries and governments.

Introduction:

•  Last week, Secretary Tillerson articulated the importance of India and of U.S.-India ties.
•  He spoke of marinating stability, security and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific region in the coming decades.
•  He also pointed out that geo-economics of the Indo-Pacific are as important as the region’s geopolitics.
• The present visit gives both governments an opportunity to talk in a comprehensive manner on some of the outstanding trade issues.

Recent development on India-US relations:

•  The India-U.S.  Commercial ties have seen an uptick in recent years with NDA government’s market oriented reforms.
• India is presently the US’s ninth largest goods trading partner.
• India is also one of the fastest growing sources of foreign direct investment in the US, at nearly $11 billion.
•  In a groundbreaking development illustrating growing economic convergence, the US delivered its first shipment of crude oil to the Paradip port a few weeks ago. This will lay the foundation for a burgeoning cooperation in the energy sector.
• During this week’s US Trade Policy Forum, US and Indian leaders will have an opportunity to generate a constructive dialogue on challenges American businesses encounter as they compete in the Indian market: Market access barriers for medical devices, tariff and nontariff barriers on ICT products and agricultural goods, and the need for a strong intellectual property framework that benefits innovation and entrepreneurship.
•  Indian startups are now open to receiving 100 per cent funding from foreign venture capitalists — a recent reform implemented by the government of India.
• As India continues its economic reforms, Indian and global companies look forward to further improving India’s ease of doing business, removing infrastructure bottlenecks, and encouraging entrepreneurship and value creation in Indian businesses.
•   A recent report predicts dramatic shifts in the global economic order by 2050 — six of the seven largest economies will be emerging economies led by China and India.
•  India will need $4.5 trillion in investment by 2040 for infrastructure and economic growth.
• ·  It is crucial for India to be able to develop its infrastructure, attract capital and cutting-edge technology, grow its economy and advance opportunities for its people.
•   India will only benefit by working with American businesses in order to attract private investment in a way that follows global standards for international development.
•      America has become a major arms supplier for India.
•  America has begun to clear the path for strategic regional coordination between two nations.

Significance of Present visit for India-U.S bilateral relations:

•   The visit set the course for India-U.S. relations going ahead, mapping convergences in connectivity, trade and economics and counter-terrorism cooperation.
• America wants to be India’s most “reliable partner” in an increasingly uncertain world.
•  The U.S. put India at the very heart of America’s efforts to balance an increasingly assertive China.
•  The meeting will lead to more intensive regional collaboration between the US and Asian democracies- India, Japan and Australia — to ensure peace and promote prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
•  In facing up to India’s concerns about Pakistan’s use of terror as an instrument of foreign policy and China’s quest for hegemony in the Indo-Pacific, Trump and Tillerson have raised hopes for a closer regional alignment between Delhi and Washington.
•  Tillerson sketched out a crucial role for India in maintaining in stability in the Asia Pacific region—along with partners like Japan and Australia besides the US. This was against the backdrop of the unpredictable rise of China.

Conclusion:

India should resist the temptation for an endless debate on whether America can move away from China and Pakistan and be India’s reliable partner. Delhi should focus, instead, on strengthening practical cooperation wherever possible with Trump’s Washington.

Both the countries need to work together on the political and security challenges across the Indo- Pacific region, from mounting tensions with North Korea, the Rohingya crisis, and India’s own standoff with China over Dokhlam to the lingering challenges in Afghanistan.