NEW DELHI: In the 2 years since assuming energy for its next semester, the Narendra Modi-led authorities has worked towards progressing powerful India-US ties.
The challenges of this Covid pandemic along with the shift in US government have added new dimension to the relationship between both strong democracies.
Here is the way the ties between both countries have taken shape through Modi 2.
0.
Strategic embraceThe strategic ties between both countries have already gone from strength to strength throughout Modi’s next semester.
India and US inked major defence pacts from the very last years and worked towards formalising the four-nation Quad alliance of India, US, Australia and Japan.
The alliance is regarded as a significant counter to China from the Indo-Pacific.
In actuality, the US increasingly views India as a natural counterbalance to China’s expansionist policy at the Indo-Pacific.
Additionally, it actively supported India through its LAC standoff with China, moving as far as to openly criticise Beijing’s territorial aggression.
The high level of India-US tactical ties has been observed throughout the Malabar practice which occurred in November 2020.
It had been for the very first time in 13 years which the navies of the four Quad nations came together to get a mega apocalyptic practice, sending a business message into China.
Through time, defence alliance has deepened between India and US.
India currently includes access to US foundations from Djibouti in Africa to Guam in the Pacific.
In addition, it can get advanced communication technologies employed in US mining equipment.
India’s weapons procurement by the US jumped from $6.
2 million to a whopping $3.
4-billion at the last year of their Donald Trump government, based on official data.
Shared bonhomieThe growing existence of Indian diaspora in most spheres – education, health care, commerce and trade and today, even politics – has helped form stricter India-US ties in the past couple of decades.
Back in Kamala Harris, the US currently comes with a vice-president with powerful India connections.
US President Joe Biden has also nominated a few Indian-origin individuals in key leadership positions within his government – a manifestation of the significance that the nation accords to the Indian-American community.
Additionally, the Howdy Modi occasion in Texas at 2019 and the Namaste Trump gala at Ahmedabad at 2020 helped display India-US bonhomie about the International stage.
The two events had been organised in an unparalleled scale and with much fanfare.
Trade tiesTrade problems have often become the principal irritant from the otherwise favorable ties between India and US.
In the last few decades, India chose a tough position on matters pertaining to commerce with Trump government Slimming back on tariffs.
Trump stopped India’s unique trade status which enables goods from developing countries to enter the US market duty free.
The Modi government revealed that trades cannot be one-sided.
Only months after, India retaliated by slapping tariffs on 28 US merchandise.
Trump suspended entrance of numerous non-immigrant visa groups, such as the very sought-after H-1B.
The Modi government always engaged with the Trump government, and the issue has been discussed together with the then US President when he visited India in February 2020.
Joe Biden, as taking on as US President, has enabled the Trump-era ban to expire.
Covid-19 pandemicThe US and India ties watched some ups and downs through the Covid pandemic that swept the entire world this past year.
As soon as the US was reeling beneath a mortal Covid wave this past year, India hurried significant medical gear and eased export restrictions to further assist the nation.
On the other hand, the US revealed hesitancy in returning the favour if India was moving through similar distress before this season.
The Biden government’s”America First” policy attracted widespread condemnation both by the planet and inside.
On the other hand, the US has been quick to change tack and hurried supplies afterwards.
Together with all the outbreak still raging in many areas of earth and vaccines getting vital, more powerful India-US ties can go a very long way in helping the international struggle against the virus.