HPAS/Allied Mains 2022 Answer Writing Challenge Day 138 : Model Answer

QUESTION: Analyse emerging India-America defence cooperation in the post-cold war period. (8 marks/ 120 words)

Answer:

Post 2001 attack, India US ties reached new heights. At a meeting of the US India Defence Policy Group (DPG) in 2001, the two sides committed themselves to substantially increase the pace of high-level policy dialogue, military-to-military exchanges and other joint activities

The various initiatives have been taken by both sides for defence cooperation in the post-cold war period.

• India has signed all the 4 defence agreements with US. i.e. COMCASA, GSOMIA, LEMOA and recently BECA.
• A change in U.S. export control laws that places India in a privileged category of NATO and non-NATO U.S. allies.
• The armed forces have used at least five American platforms at the LAC— C-17 Globemaster III for military transport, Boeing’s Chinook CH-47 as heavy-lift helicopters, Boeing’s Apache as tank-killers, P-8I Poseidon for overland reconnaissance, and Lockheed Martin’s C-130J for airlifting troops.
• A new ‘2+2’ foreign and defence ministers’ dialogue..
• Inauguration of the first India-US tri-service military exercise (i.e. Tiger Triumph) and expansion of existing military exercises.
• Inclusion of India in the US Maritime Security Initiative.
• The US under its Pivot to Asia policy views India as an ideal balancer to check the aggressive rise of China.
• The US has designated India as an integral part of the Indo-pacific narrative by the conception of Quad.

India should talk constructively on contentious issues such as India’s S-400 missile deal with Russia, which US objects. Also, India is wary of Pakistan’s deep-rooted ties with US, and its dependence on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan as well as its exit strategy.

Conclusion: While China’s rise is a catalyst for the strategic convergence between India and US, the ultimate aim should be the joint vision of a free, open and rule-based Indo-Pacific. Over the past two decades, expanding ties with the U.S. has not suffocated India’s strategic autonomy.