Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit here this month-end for the Nuclear Security Summit, Republican Congressman George Holding has introduced a Bill in the House of Representatives that aims to elevate India’s status as a defence partner, bringing it on par with the US’s NATO allies on defence cooperation matters.
“This legislation will elevate India’s status by shortening the time required for the notification of sale or export of defence articles from the United States to India. It will encourage more joint contingency planning and require the US government review and assess India’s ability to execute military operations of mutual interest,” Holding said.
The Bill, called US-India Defence Technology and Partnership Act, will “build upon the recent progress made to strengthen our strategic partnership by facilitating closer collaboration, promoting greater defense trade, and by elevating India’s status”, said Holding, who is also co-chair of House India Caucus.
“Together, the US and India face a range of shared security challenges and I believe we should be encouraging deeper defense ties and closer cooperation between our countries,” said Holding, noting that his legislation will cement a process already under way and will lay a foundation for future cooperation and growth.
The legislation, now referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, has been promptly hailed by the US-India Business Council as an effort that “recognizes India’s status as an essential defence partner of the United States and facilitates additional co-production/co-development and trade”.
“This Bill not only puts India on par with other NATO allies in terms of the notification period, it sends a clear signal to Washington and Delhi that defence cooperation should be a top priority for both governments,” USIBC president Mukesh Aghi said.
Holding’s legislation seeks to amend the US Arms Export Control Action in order to formalise India’s status for the purpose of Congressional notifications as a major partner of equal status as America’s treaty allies and closest partners.
The USIBC noted that the initiative sends “an important signal to the Indian defense establishment that today’s political conditions are fundamentally different from the past”. It said the legislation also encourages actions necessary to give a further fillip to bilateral defence trade, which has shot up from $300 million to Over $14 billion over the past 10 years.