International Relations

INDO-U.S. RELATIONS

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It is well known that in this world, there aren’t any permanent friends or enemies but what remains permanent and of supreme importance, is- The National Interest! With time the needs and demands of people change, changing the outlook of their country as a whole which ultimately decides that country’s relations with the other nations.

India-U.S. relations have seen many ups and downs through the history. Both being democracies share many common beliefs and goals while some stark differences in opinions also exist. Let’s take a look into this bonding since India became an independent country.

THE PERIOD OF 1947-1960

Initially the relations were bitter although the American public was interested in the non-violence method of India’s struggle for independence. The invasion of areas of Jammu & Kashmir by Pakistan was converted into an Indo-Pak question by America, considering both countries to be equally responsible for the 1947-48 war. But, as there was U.S. support to Pakistan on Kashmir, USSR’s veto in the United Nations favoured India many times on the Kashmir issue. India recognized ‘communist China’ on December 30, 1949 even as U.S. disliked it thoroughly. In 1953, grant of military aid to Pakistan came at the moment when talks between Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan on resolving the Kashmir issue were underway. Pakistan entered US-led SEATO (Southeast Treaty Organisation) in 1954 and CENTO in 1955 while India was voicing for the Non-Aligned Movement. In 1959, Dwight D. Eisenhower became the 1st U.S. Pres. to visit India but the visit couldn’t make much difference.

TWO WARS AND THE STANCE OF USA: 1961-69

America supported the Portuguese during Liberation of Goa in 1961 as it is a NATO member. The resolution moved against India in the UN Security Council was not passed due to USSR’s veto favouring India. In the War of 1962 against China, aid in the form of arms and ammunitions and civilian supplies was given to India by the U.S. but its main motive remained to prevent the expansion of China and make India resolve the Kashmir issue with Pakistan.

On August 8, 1963, India and U.S. signed the Agreement on Civil Uses of Atomic Energy according to which India was to purchase enriched Uranium for its Tarapur Plant in Maharashtra from America. During the Indo-Pak War of 1965, no condemnation from the States came for Pakistan’s deliberate aggression on India had led to this war. It had kept a neutral and equal displeasure on both the countries for using its weapons in the war.

THE U.S. ‘BLUFF’ OF 1971 AND HOW IT WAS ‘CALLED’ BY THE USSR

On August 9, 1971, the Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Co-operation was signed between India and USSR which had angered US. Nobody knew so clearly that this treaty was to show its impact in an exemplary way in the months to come. During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, U.S. Navy’s 7th fleet Task Force 24 came in the Bay of Bengal region on the pretext of evacuating Americans from the East Pakistan (Bangladesh) but was led by a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier- USS Enterprise. USSR showed its determination to stand with India by dispatching naval ships with advanced weaponry along with nuclear submarines and as they came close to Ceylon, the U.S. knew that it must take a U-turn from what could escalate the war. Secret meetings with Chinese officials were held to assure that if China launches an attack on India, America will help to counter any agitation against it and thus support the Chinese. But it had all gone in vain when China- completely known to its repercussions- refused to jump into the matter. Hence, a combined U.S.-Pakistan-China front never formulated but the Indo-U.S. ties became fragile. 

SOME UPS AND DOWNS: TILL THE END OF 1980s

A huge debt amount that India had to repay America was cancelled and managed through different ways as a friendly gesture in 1973. India’s first nuclear tests at Pokhran on 18th May, 1974 shook U.S. and became a matter of serious concern for it. India showed its firmness to progress even if others eyed it furiously.

The visit of President Carter to India in 1978 and the subsequent resumption of economic aid and fuel for Tarapur Plant that were restricted after 1971 had poured some oil on the troubled waters. In December 1979, the invasion of Soviet Army into Afghanistan became a turning point in strengthening the Indo-U.S. relations. P.M. Indira Gandhi’s visit to America in 1982 and then of her successor Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 led to an increased cooperation in the field of defence technology and was helpful in bringing computers to India.

COLD WAR END AND THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST DECADE OF 20TH CENTURY

After the end of Cold War, India was of strategic importance. In 1991, when India opened the doors for foreign market players with the purpose of liberalising its trade and investment, ties with the U.S. ameliorated.

The 1998 nuclear tests at Pokhran angered a lot of global giants. How India could secretly conduct Pokhran-II was a success story for the nation but an intelligence nightmare for the secret agencies of America. U.S. imposed economic sanctions on India and cooperation in military technology reduced. U.S. Ambassador to India was recalled by America but India remained firm on not signing the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) as it was not in the country’s national interest. But in 1999, US was towards India when the Kargil war broke out and had put pressure on Pakistan to withdraw their troops from the Indian territory.

RISE OF A NEW CENTURY

In the year 2000, U.S. sanctions were lifted. Pres. Clinton’s extensive visit to India brought warmth in the relations. Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum was established. After the 9/11 attack in 2001, India helped US with satellite imagery of Afghanistan, offered its military base to it (an offer that was never made even to the USSR) and our Navy helped their vessels in the Malacca Strait and the Andaman Sea. Same year, the attack on Indian Parliament on December 13 was seriously condemned by the Western country. Diplomatic ties were on their summit and subsequent joint statements assured strengthened cooperation in combatting terrorism. 

In April 2005, both countries signed the ‘Open Skies Agreement’. ‘New Framework for the U.S.-India Defence Relationship’ was signed in June. In July, various initiatives were announced including the Civil Nuclear Cooperation initiative that was signed in March 2006. In November, Carnegie Senior Associate Ashley J. Tellis gave a testimony in front of the U.S. House Committee on International Relations and stressed on 8 major points where the bilateral relations should be of significant interest to America. India agreed for the inspection of IAEA on its nuclear facilities and the U.S. moratorium on nuclear trade with India was lifted. 68 US Boeing aircrafts were ordered for Air India airlines. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) was initiated in 2007 by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe along with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney and Australian Prime Minister John Howard- another booster for Indo-U.S. relations.

2010 AND BEYOND

In 2010, Pres. Obama visited India and backed its desire for becoming a permanent member of the UNSC and announced trade deals between the countries of USD 15 billion. During his tenure, the restrictions on H1B visas had upset Indian techies searching for career opportunities in America. The arrest of Devyani Khobragade in 2013, the Deputy Consul General of India in New York, for producing false work visa for her housekeeper initiated a rift between the two countries on the way she was treated after the arrest.

In 2014, PM Narendra Modi visited US. The year 2015 saw Wg Cdr Pooja Thakur as becoming the first woman officer to lead the Inter-Services Guard of Honour that was given to U.S. President Obama. He also attended the 66th Republic Day Parade with the theme of ‘Nari Shakti’. Various visits of Indian Prime Minister to the States from 2015-19 were focused on improving bilateral relations. ‘Make an India’ initiative, US grants for organisations working to promote religious freedom, and agreements on various trade routes were discussed.

The H1-B visa ban was a great concern for Indians and their aspirations. Indian diaspora in the US- as of 2019- is about 2.7 million while according to a 2017 data, 7 Lakh US citizens live in India. In September 2019, PM Modi’s visit in Donald Trump’s tenure to Houston, Texas was named “Howdy Modi” in which the commencement of exercise ‘Tiger Triumph’- the first bilateral tri-services military exercise between the two countries- was announced.

Trump’s visit to India in February 2020 was called “Namaste Trump” and saw discussions on 5G technology and agreement on a defence deal of USD 3 bn. During the rampant protests on “Black Lives Matter” in the U.S., the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial in Washington, D.C. was vandalised. This was strongly condemned by both the countries. In December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the ‘Legion of Merit’ award along with the P.M. of Australia and former P.M. of Japan for being the “original architects” of Quad.

India did not participate in 2020’s RIMPAC- world’s largest maritime exercise overlooked by US Navy’s Pacific Fleet- that was held during the pandemic. During India-China LAC clashes, U.S. lashed out at the Chinese aggression. Satellite imagery by U.S. agencies were of help to India while we also purchased winter clothing from it for our soldiers in Ladakh. The first all Quad-member Malabar Exercise was conducted in two phases in November 2020 while the COVID-19 vaccine development also saw close association between the two countries. The 3rd Indo-US 2+2 Dialogue (started in 2018) was held in October 2020.

NEW DECADE, NEW HOPES: 2021

U.S. elections was a hot topic in India. There were speculations as to what will be the fate of this soaring relationship when Mr. Joe Biden became the 46th President of United States and Kamala Harris, the first female Vice-President, who also holds connections with India. Biden-Modi talks, talks between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and between Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his U.S. counterpart, Jake Sullivan in January, emphasised on the strategic partnership of both countries. Commitment of US to re-join Paris Agreement and UNHRC and agreement on re-establishing the ‘India-US Home Security Dialogue’ are beneficial for both nations.

In February, Congessman Mooney reported to the US House of Representatives that US owes India USD 216 billion in loan. In March, US Secretary of Defence, General Lloyd Austin III arrived in New Delhi and held meetings with P.M. Modi, NSA Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for “deepening the US-India Major Defence Partnership”. The expiry of the H1-B visa ban has been well appreciated by India’s IT sector.

When all was merry, the entry of USS John Paul Jones of US Navy’s 7th fleet into the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) without permission and the subsequent open criticism of Indian maritime laws as being “excessive” and against the international laws unnecessarily invoked controversy. This act was disliked by India. U.S. has also stated that taking S-400 missile system from Russia can make India liable for sanctions under its CAATSA law. Recently Adar Poonawalla, Serum Institute of India’s CEO, has urged U.S. President to lift the embargo on export of raw materials needed for vaccine production in India and other countries.

MAJOR DEFENCE AGREEMENTS

  • Ø GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement)- 2002 Its extension- Industrial Security Annex (ISA)- 2019
  • Ø LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement)- 2016
  • Ø CISMOA/COMCASA (Communication Compatibility & Security Agreement)- 2018
  • Ø BECA (Basic Exchange & Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation)- 2020

The Indo-U.S. defence trade stands at USD 21 bn.  Some of the defence equipment that India has purchased from the U.S. are P-8I Neptune long-range maritime multi-mission aircraft, AH-64E Apache Guardian attack, CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, C-17 Globemaster III and C -130J-30 military transport aircraft, 127mm Mk 45 naval gun systems, M777 155mm/39 calibre lightweight howitzers and assault rifles. 

INDO-US BILATERAL EXCERCISES

Ex. Yudh Abhyas- Armies

Ex. Tiger Triumph- Tri-service

Ex. Vajra Prahar- Special Forces

Ex. Red Flag & Ex. Cope India- Air Forces

Both countries share cultural, democratic, diplomatic, military, economic and technological bonds and are committed to further strengthen the relations in the time to come.

-VRINDA SHANKAR

REFERENCES

 

 

 

 

  • April 23, 2021

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1 Response

  1. 218Priya Tiwari says:
    May 9, 2021 at 1:01 pm

    This article covers almost all the details. Very helpful and informative. Thank you so much @Vrinda

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