The recent agreement between the Indian NSA and his US counterpart on ICET signifies, unlike in the past, US willingness to share sensitive technologies.
On 11 May 1998, India carried out one fusion and two fission nuclear tests at Indian Army’s Pokhran test range and detonated two more fission nuclear devices on 13 May, without letting the American CIA get even a whisper of it and declared herself “a full fledged nuclear state”, that too without signing the NPT. In less than 100 days, it will be 25 years since that historic milestone, which fundamentally changed India’s international identity and stature.
An outraged United States imposed severe sanctions on India; scientific cooperation between the two countries including scientific institutions and scientists came to an abrupt halt. It took 14 rounds of painstaking talks at eight different venues between Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbot to understand each other’s reasons and concerns and thrash out the differences. By the time President Bill Clinton visited India in March 2000, the first US President to do so in 22 years, most of the sanctions had been lifted. Indian Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, who coined the phrase, “India-US natural partners” and Bill Clinton put in place an institutional framework which would not only deepen and expand bilateral relations in numerous fields to bring the oldest and the largest democracy closer, but would also seek strategic cooperation in addressing regional and international issues, especially those which impinge on global commons.
Some experts believe that India-US relations have never been better. There have been changes of guard in Washington and New Delhi, but the scope, the level and the nature of India-US relationship have gone up notwithstanding the differences on several issues. This underlines the solid bipartisan support in the two countries for stronger and warmer ties.
Let me recapitulate some salient features. In 2000, India-US trade stood at US $20 billion only. Whereas, according to Ministry of Commerce statistics, in FY 2021-2022, India-US trade touched US$119.42 billion, accounting for 11.5% of India’s global trade, overtaking India-China trade valued at US$115.42 billion. Interestingly, while India enjoyed a surplus of US$32.79 billion in its trade with the US, it registered a trade deficit of US$72.9 billion with China.
Disturbing memories of 1971 when the US supported the Pakistan military dictator Yahya Khan and tried to intimidate democratic India by moving its Seventh Fleet to the Bay of Bengal and Indian politicians’ phobia of the CIA hand are things of the past. Clinton was the first US President to visit India in 22 years but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met three US Presidents—Obama, Trump and Biden—more than 22 times in the US and at numerous virtual and physical summits. Unmistakably, both countries have overcome the hesitations of history and realised that for bilateral relations and for global peace, prosperity and stability, their convergences weigh far more than all their differences.
While India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement (2008) was, no doubt, a watershed moment, both countries have moved on and signed several unprecedented agreements which signify growing trust and maturity. While India has signed the fundamental communication agreements LEMOA, COMCASA and BECA which enhance the interoperability of communications and cooperation between the Indian and US defence forces, the US has designated India as a major defence partner and accorded it the STA-1 status, which puts her at par with NATO allies and removes restrictions on export of high technology products. Evidently, both countries favour expansion of defence cooperation and nurturing of strategic partnership. For the first time, last year, India provided maintenance to a US Naval ship.
The US considers India to be a crucial partner in Indo-Pacific region to ensure an open, free and inclusive region for maritime trade and over flights as per international laws and peaceful resolution of territorial disputes through dialogue. India is an active member of the QUAD without having an alliance with the US. India has an important role in QUAD’s focus on STEM & launch of technology and innovation hub. The Investment Incentive Agreement signed by the Indian & American govts in May 2022 will facilitate continued support of the Development Finance Institutions in the US to private investment in various sectors in India. India has agreed on three of the four pillars of IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework) related to taxation, anticorruption and clean energy, but has reservation about data and privacy. It is no secret that the US was behind India’s inclusion in strategically significant I2U2 (India, Israel, the US and the UAE) which is seen as the western Quad.
The recent agreement between the Indian NSA, Ajit Doval and his counterpart, Jake Sullivan in Washington on Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) signifies, unlike in the past, the American willingness to share these sensitive technologies. If what is envisaged under ICET fructifies, it will be a huge game changer. India could be a significant part of alternative supply chains. There will be greater strategic, commercial and military alignment between Delhi and Washington. It can boost India’s industrial and economic rise. India can have access to cutting edge dual use technologies. It can spur Indian innovations and embed India in semiconductor manufacturing and supply chain. It might result in defence cooperation in new areas including joint development and joint production and boost indigenous defence production. Hopefully, in the near future, General Electric might produce jet engines in India.
Some months ago, John Finer, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser reportedly said, “looking around the world when the US and President Biden look for partners that can truly help carry the load, truly help move forward a global agenda, India and Prime Minister Modi are very high on that list”.
BIDEN SUTRA
Last week, President Biden hailed Air India’s decision to buy 220 planes worth US$34 billion from Boeing, which would support 1 million jobs in 44 states in the US and asserted that he was looking forward with PM Modi to deepen ties between India and the US.
President Biden’s second State of the Union address was largely aimed at his domestic audience though it sent out messages to China, Russia and US allies as well. Some of his sutras are relevant for India too.
“I define our country in one word: Possibilities.”
“How nice it will be when our country too will be synonymous with possibilities for all of better tomorrows for us, our parents and our children.”
Biden claimed his vision is to “restore the soul of the nation…to unite the country. What’s the soul of our great nation? Are we nurturing it? Does it need restoration?”
“When we endlessly indulge in demonizing each other and hurl accusations and counter accusations at each other ad nauseam and when we claim to know all the answers and aren’t prepared to listen to the contrarian views, are we promoting unity?”
“A job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It’s about dignity. It’s about respect. It’s about being able to look your kid in the eye and say, honey it is going to be ok.” Shouldn’t we look at jobs from this perspective?
Some other gems from Biden:
“Every nation that out educates us will out compete us.”
“Capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism. It’s exploitation.”
“With democracy, everything is possible, without it, nothing is.”
“We must give up hate and extremism in any form.”
Amen.
Surendra Kumar is a former Ambassador of India.