Boost to India-US Defence Ties

In the two years of the Modi government India and the US have taken calibrated efforts at the highest political level to boost the transformed bilateral relations. It was in this context that the visit of United States Defence Secretary Carterto India during April 10-13 had assumed huge significance. His visit symbolised the deepening defence ties between the two countries, withthe Modi Government agreeing in principle to sign three agreements including the Logistic Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMA).

It needs to recall here that it was in the post-1998 nuclear tests by India that relations between New Delhi and Washington started transforming when President Clinton’s containment policy completely failed in isolating India internationally by putting economic and other sanctions on it. In fact, India under Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee emerged from these sanctions as a resurgent country.In turn, the US adopted the policy of accommodation towards India, with the two countries having transformed their estranged relations into a strategic partnership.[i] Though the UPA government signed the Civil Nuclear agreement with the US, differences between the two countries started surfacing on one issue and another during the second tenure of the Manmohan Singh government and reached a low point following the Khobragade episode.[ii]

When Prime Minister Modi came to power, he did not allow his personal differences with the US to dictate the bilateral ties. Instead, Mr. Modi decided to redirect efforts to sustain and deepen ties with the US. This became soon evident when Prime Minister Modi made a state visit to the US in September 2014 on an invitation of President Obama. Subsequently, President Obama became the first US President to become chief guest at the Republic day parade in January 2015. Since then, the bilateral ties have witnessed many improvement and developments. This is evident from deepening defence ties between the two countries. There is a growing feeling among US security officials and experts that given its economic slowdown and increasing security crises in the Asia-Pacific the Middle East and other parts of the world, it is not possible for the US to ensure peace and security alone. It needs to engage rising powers like India in this regard. As the Modi government attempts to speed up the process of military modernisation with increased foreign direct investment in the defence sector, Washington sees good economic prospects in deepening defence ties with New Delhi. The rise of China and its assertive posturing in the South China Sea in recent times is another reason for the US to expand security and military relations with India. In fact, ever since the Modi government has the “Act East” policy, for the US Administration, India’s Act East policy can prove to be crucial in ensuring the success of its policy of “rebalance to Asia.” The Russia factor continues to play an important role in the US’ security policy towards India.

For India’s part, the Modi government is aware of the fact that it cannot aggressively pursue the process of military modernisation without having access to advanced US weaponry and technology. At a time when China is asserting its positions on disputed territories with India, and there is growing nexus between Beijing and Islamabad- this is evident from the China’s role in blocking efforts in the UN security Council to put sanctions against Jammat-ud-Dawa and itsleader Hafiz Saeed.New Delhi feels that the presence of the US in South Asia would help maintain balance of power its favour. There is a sense of understanding among sections of strategic experts in New Delhi that Prime Minister Modi’s ambitious “Make in India” initiative would not witness much success without the active participation of the American defence industry, given its expertise in the field. Isolating Pakistan internationally for using terrorism as a state policy against India also requires New Delhi to sustain security talks and military exercises with Washington. 

It is in the light of the above-mentioned factors that Prime Minister Modi and President Obama decided to extend the defence agreement of 2005 for the next ten years.[iii]This in turn not only reflects the determinations of the two countries in scaling up defence ties, but also would help shape the future security setting in Asia. Unlike the UPA government, the Modi government has also shown the desire to work with the US in safeguarding maritime security and ensuring “freedom of navigation and over flight throughout the region, especially in the South China Sea.”This shift in India’s stand on the South China Sea is very important in the sense that it reflects the Indian government’s determination to firmly deal with China. This understanding has further been boosted by the fact that the Modi government has given special attention to developing triangular and quadrilateral coalition with the US, Japan and Australia as a part of its regional security strategy in Asia.

Both the countries have made significant process on the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI), with four projects called “pathfinder projects” having already been identified. This in turn would help India in co-producing the next-generation Raven unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), intelligence-gathering and reconnaissance modules for C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, mobile electric hybrid power sources and uniform integrated protection ensemble increment-2.[iv]India and the US are also holding talks on the supply of F-16 and F/A-18 fighter for the Indian Air Force.[v] These defence deals indeed would boost Prime Minister Modi’s “Make in India” programme significantly.

The UPA government was hostile to sign three agreements- Logistic Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMA), Communication and Information Security Memorandum of CISMOA and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA), arguing that these agreements would undermine India’s strategic autonomy and its policy of non-alignment,However, in the light of new emerging security threats, the Modi government has agreed in principle to ink these defence agreements with the US.[vi]The LEMA will allow both the countries to access fuel and supplies from each other’s bases, making it easier to coordinate their military activities. The agreement would help India in carrying out operations in the Indian Ocean and expanding its India’s maritime reach in the Asia-Pacific. The CISMOA will enable the both the countries to share confidential intelligence inputs in a most secured way with each other in both peacetime and war. In particular, under this agreement the US would be able to provide encrypted communication and secret technologies equipments to communicate with each other in a secured way. The BECA would provide India with topographical and aeronautical data and products which will aid navigation and targeting. On the other hand, with these three agreements with India, Washington would succeed in bringing New Delhi to its military fold.

There are some concerns about the possible downsides of signing of these agreements. For instance, the CISMOA would enable the US to listen toIndia’s highly confidential conversations. There is also apprehension that as with other countries, under the LEMA the US would pressurize India to allot portions of its land bases exclusively for its military purposes. It is precisely for these reasons that the Modi government has only in principle agreed to sign these agreements and asked the US to make them India specific so that its security and sovereignty mush not be compromised. Defence Minister ManoharParrikar made it clear that this agreement does not mention the stationing of American troops on Indian soil. Dispelling the rumor about joint paroling of India and the US in the Asia Pacific, he said that “India is in for joint military exercise but not for joint patrolling.”[vii] This cleanly implies that while seeking close defence ties with the US, the Indian government does not want to unnecessary draw itself into a tussle between the US and China.

As a bill regarding the US-India Defence Technology and Partnership has been introduced in March, with the aim of enhancing defence ties between the two countries and Prime Minister Modi is expected to visit Washington to address ajoint session of the US Congress this year, it can be hoped that India and the US would be able to further add to their transformed bilateral ties.