Strengthening India-US Relations: National Defence Authorisation Bill

The US Senate has passed the National Defence Authorisation Bill for the fiscal year 2020. The legislative provision brings India at par with America’s NATO allies like South Korea, Australia and Japan.

Strengthening India-US Relations

• The bill provides for an enhanced US-India defence cooperation in the Indian Ocean in the areas of humanitarian assistance, counterterrorism, counter-piracy and maritime security.
• The bill calls to strengthen and enhance its major defence partnership with India” and lists six specific actions it wants US President Donald Trump’s administration to take.
• The Senate directs the President Trump administration to explore additional steps to implement the major defence partner designation to better facilitate interoperability, information sharing, and appropriate technology transfers and to undertake strategic initiatives to help develop the defence capabilities of India.
• The Senate called for increasing the frequency and scope of exchanges between senior civilian officials and military officers to support the development and implementation of the major defence partnership.
• The Senate also urged for an increased engagement with India in multilateral frameworks to promote regional security and defend shared values and common interests in the rules-based order.

The bill would be signed into law by President Trump once the House of Representatives of the US Congress approve it.