Brig Anil Gupta
PM Modi’s first state visit to the US has just ended. The visit has been significant and unique from many points of view. The visit has signalled a paradigm shift in the US outlook towards India. The past visits of the Indian PMs were mostly one way with India trying to reach to the US, while this visit was two-way with both the nations reaching out to each other. While the US Government machinery and the media went overboard as far as Modi’s visit was concerned, there were a few nay-sayers both at home and in the US who were skeptical of the outcome of the visit. They all have been proved wrong at the successful end of the visit. China never before had been so irked at the visit of an Indian PM to US as for this visit of Mr Modi because it could visualize the coming together of the two greatest democracies of the world posing a direct challenge to the expansionist and hegemonic designs of Xi Jinping. Biden so far has hosted only two state visits during his presidency and the red carpet rolled out for PM Modi, the third state visit during Biden’s presidency, alludes to his growing stature as a global leader and statesman. PM Modi made it clear that he was visiting the US as not an ally but as an equal partner and the US acceptance of the same speaks volumes of India’s stature and its acceptance as an emerging power under the leadership of Modi. The US leadership recognizes India’s strategic location and the crucial role it can play in the security of the Indo-Pacific region which is so critical for the global security. Both nations are committed to keep the region free of the Chinese coercion as well as share the common objective of keeping Asia free from total dominance by China. How far the visit has achieved these twin objectives only the time will tell.
At the end of his visit PM Modi tweeted, “Concluding a very special USA visit, where I got to take part in numerous programmes and interactions aimed at adding momentum to the India-USA friendship. Our nations will keep working together to make our planet a better place for the coming generations.” The aim of this article is not a critical appraisal of the visit but to highlight the major outcomes of the visit in various fields. Never before in the history of Indo-USA relations the visit has ended with a bouquet of agreements which are being summarized in this article in fields ranging from defence, global issues and transfer of cutting-edge technologies.
Defence . The most significant deal has been the GE-HAL jet engine deal which will support Bharat to make Tejas MK2 and Generation 5 fighter Jet. India will be the only non-NATO ally which will be sold state of the art and the world’s best 31 MQ-9B armed Predator drones MQ-9B drones worth 3 billion USD. 3 Indian liaison officers will be placed under US commands to increase defence cooperation and the sharing of critical information between the two nations. The launch of India-United States Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS X) for co-development and co-production of advanced technologies by Indian and American startups. INDUS X would vitalise the cooperation in the defence sector between the two nations. The US will aid India in developing its naval and maritime infrastructure to create Indo-Pacific regional hub for ship repairs and maintenance. US Navy ship-repair in Chennai, Mumbai and Goa. ‘Security of Supply Arrangement, and ‘Reciprocal Defence Procurement Arrangement’ is among the slew of agreements between the two nations that will take the defence partnership to the next level.
Technology. US semiconductor facilities and training in India and strengthening the semiconductor supply chain is a major strategic agreement termed as Technology Partnership for the Future. Micron Technology Inc with support from the India Semiconductor Mission will establish a semiconductor assembly and test facility in India. Applied Materials, will build a Semiconductor Centre for Commercialisation and Innovation and LAM Research will train 60,000 Indian engineers to accelerate India’s semiconductor education and workforce development plan. India joins 12 other member nations plus European Union in the critical mineral security partnership that would help in diversifying and securing the critical minerals supply chain. In the largest Indian investment in the US electric vehicle industry in American history, India’s Epsilon Carbon Limited will be investing in a greenfield electric vehicle component factory. India and USA will cooperate in advanced telecommunications through financing in 6G/ORAN deployment. Both nations will also partner in joint research in the field of Quantum, Advanced Computing and Artificial Intelligence technologies. The two nations will also promote partnership in transfer of emerging and cutting-edge technologies. Google AI support for 100 Indian languages. India’s Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) will invest in US atomic energy research project. Indian company Sterlite to build fiber cable manufacturing unit in South Carolina. ISRO and NASA will cooperate to establish new frontiers in Space.
People to People ties. As a follow -up to the common vision of the two leaders of shared prosperity and delivering for our peoples a number of new initiatives have been taken. In country H1B / L visa renewal pilot project will be launched by the US Department of State. This will obviate the need for Indian nationals to leave USA and return to India for renewal of eligible visas. Two new US consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad; Indian consulate in Seattle this year and in two other cities later. India will fund a Tamil studies chair at University of Houston. Through Gilman International Scholarships Programme 100 additional US undergraduate students will be enabled to study or intern in India.
Global Issues. The two countries have resolved to collaborate on global challenges like human trafficking, food security and humanitarian disaster relief. USA has reiterated its support for India’s permanent membership in a reformed UNSC, as well as membership in International Energy Agency (IEA) and in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). US has committed to enhance India’s role in global governance. India has been invited to APEC Summit in San Francisco in November 2023. US-India Global Digital Partnership will bring together technology and resources from both countries to address development challenges in emerging economies. India/U.S. resolve to settle 6 outstanding WTO disputes between the two countries. US has agreed to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative inaugurated by PM Modi in 2015 to promote a safe, secure and stable maritime domain and promote its conservation and sustainable use. India and US to hold an Indian Ocean Dialogue with experts and stake holders from the region to promote greater regional cooperation.
In addition to the above the two great nations also decided to collaborate for sustainable development and global health keeping in view PM Modi’s advocacy of “Vasudev Kutumbakam” and invest in clean energy, green technology, decarboninsing, biofuels, fight against cancer and diabetes through AI enabled digital pathology platforms.
The most significant outcome of the visit is India’s assertion to build partnerships and not alliances. Partnerships based on common mutual interests without sacrificing India’s national interests. India did not have to give away any vital interests of its own. The latent outcome of the visit has been the acceptance of India as a regional giant in the Indo-Pacific region and convergence in views of the two nations as to how to deal with the common enemy in the region. Many of the agreements will fructify only after the approval of the US Congress but the silver lining rests in the bipartisan support PM Modi received during the visit.
(The writer is a Jammu-based veteran, security and strategic analyst)
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