INDIA-US RELATIONSHIP

INDIA-US RELATIONSHIP
- India-us are 2 of the greatest democracies in the world.
- being democratic governments indo-us relation has a long & rich antiquity, which can be traced back to cold war era.
- since then both countries have move from the phase of "stranged democracies to engaged democracies ".
- their relations are undergoing a qualitative transformation.
- cooperation & consultation have broadened & diversified considerably.

cold war phase :
- bilateral relations between indo-us known as 'strategic distancing' in this period.
- india was no where within the strategic thinking of usa because of its non-alignment foreign policy.
- close us-pakistan relations were also unfavorable to india's national interests.
- indo-us relations were at lowest ebb in 1970s particularly during bangladesh liberal movement 1971.
- relationship was even bitterer after india conducted the 1st nulcear test in 1974 (pokharan 1).
- under us insistence nulcear supplier groups was formed in 1974 to put a technology control regime against india.

Post cold war :
- demise of USSR & end of cold war created a tectonic change in indo-us relationships.
- dying of russian aid & economic liberalisation made india to move closer towards america.
- at the same time india rose to promonence in america foreign policy because of the strategic importance of indian ocean.
- but post pokharan 2 the relations were again estranged.
- realizing that technology control regime is not yielding desired us changed its approach from nuclear non-proliferation to nuclear risk reduction.
- there was change in us's attitude during kargil war.
- us administration openly criticized pakistan for its misadvantage & advise it to respect LOC.
- it led to the begining of new era in indo-us relationship.
- us president bill cliton visited inida in 2000 & signed a joint statement known as 'vision statement'.
- both countries agree to establish a joint group on counter terrorism.
- PM vajpayee also visited usa the same year .
- bush-vajpayee meeting in 2004 led to signing of next step on strategic partnership (NSSP) covering 4 areas:
* civilian atomic energy cooperation
* civilian space programme
* missile technology trade.
* high technology trade.
- PM dr.manmohan singh visit to us in 2005 was marked as the 2nd step to NSSP.
- the joint statement signed on 18th july 05 envisaged for fuel cooperation in the field of nuclear energy for peaceful purpose.

Area of cooperation :
military cooperation :
- the new framework in the india-us defence relationship signed in 2005 part of strategic partnership envisages.
- under this india -usa agreed to strengthen capabilities:
* of militaries to defet terrorism,
* promote regional & global peace,
* combat the proliferaiton of WMD,
* increased opportunites for technology transfer,
* collaboration relating to missile defence.

Joint exercise :
- between indo-us arms was shatrujeet , jungh abhyas(08), vajra prahar(08).
- between indo-us navy was malabar series (08) off goa coast.
- the indian airforce participated in the multinational air excercise with GARUD team.

cooperation in energy sector :
- india-US energy dialogue aims to promote increased trade & investments in the energy sector to identify areas to cooperation & collaboration to mobilize secure, clean, reliable, affordable source of energy.
- it consists of 5 areas including oil & natural gas, coal, power energy efficiency, new & renewable technologies & civil nuclear energy.
- the major initiatives under the dialogue are clean coal technology, second generation bio-fuels technology, commercial utilization of coal bed methane & coal mine methane, & clean & efficient use of energy & development of renewable energy resource.

bilatreal trade agreement :
- usa happens to be indias largest export destination & also one of the leading foreign investors in india.
- india-us bilateral trade stood at US$ 33.9 billion in 07-08.
- during the year 07-08 , merchandise exports from india to US increased by 9.18% to US$ 20.7 billion as compared to US$ 18.8 billion in 06-07.
- india IT & IT enabled services including R & D & engineering services exports to the US$ were approximately US$ 24 billion in 07.
- the total FDI equity inflow to india from US during the period april 2000-june 2008 was US$ 5.4 billion.

Cooperaiton in agriculture sector :
- inida-usa launched inda-us knowledge initiative on agriculture in 2005 with a focus on priority teaching, research ,service & commercial linkages.
- 4 areas were identified : biotechnology, water management , human resource, institutional capacity building.

cooperation in Education sector :
- although over 60% of all indian international students prefer usa as their destination, less than 1% of all americans students going abroad for studies choose india for study.
- to enhance mobility of students a new agreement was signes in 2008 between india & usa.
- under this agreement both countries are implementing scholarship programme as full partner & imcrease by 10% of the total scholarship amount awarded annually--US$ 5 million.

cooperation in health :
- india & usa over the years have established a strong collaboration in the areas of public health which extended to wide range of issues.
- these include :
* hiv/aids
* maleria
* polio
* maternal & child health care
* tobacco control
* environment & occupational health
* vaccine development
* avian influenza
* emerging & re-emerging infections disases.

cooperation in civil aviation :
- india & usa have signed a ciivl aviation cooperation to provided high technology & commercial supply from the usa to modernize the civil aviation industry in india.
- an open skies agreement was also signed in 2005 after which there has been a steady increase of air traffic between 2 nations stimulating economic partnership & strengthening people to people co-opertaion
By N Putti