India and the US have a growing convergence of strategic interests and both sides seek a resilient and rules-based international order that safeguards the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.
Singh said the recent India-US ‘2+2’ dialogue and fruitful conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden have created the ground for a more ambitious and strategic engagement between the two sides.
In an address at the American Chamber of Commerce in India, he said both India and the US share a common vision of a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region.
“We have a growing convergence of strategic interests as both countries seek a resilient, rules-based international order that safeguards sovereignty and territorial integrity, upholds democratic values and promotes peace and prosperity for all,” he said.
What are the strong points of India US relations in the recent years?
The US is now India’s largest trading partner with the trade worth $190 billion. Unlike China, it supports India on issues of territorial integrity and terrorism.
The US is offering to modernize India’s defence production and transfer advanced civilian and military technologies.
India found common ground with the US in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. India participates in such coalitions as the Quadrilateral Forum with US, Japan and Australia in the east and with Washington, Tel Aviv, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh to the west of the Subcontinent.
Framing the challenge:-
MDP is a unique designation that has cemented progress in US-India relations. But it has also heightened expectations around the direction and ambition of the bilateral relationship. Nearly three years on, Washington and New Delhi have yet to fully define and operationalise the MDP framework even as they continue to advance progress on strategic issues. Indeed, the lack of clarity around MDP is not without consequence. It generates lingering uncertainty, threatens to misalign expectations, and often leaves both sides disappointed. Amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific, establishing a common understanding of MDP’s scope, aims, and focus is now more important than ever.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington next month is about celebrating the transformation of bilateral relations under the NDA government as well as setting a more ambitious agenda for the future. The Modi years have seen the emergence of the United States as the most important and comprehensive strategic partner of India.
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