From Estrangement to Engagement: Threats and Opportunities in Indo-U.S. Relations and the Roles of Their Armed Forces
Abstract
After a 50-year gap, relations between India and United States, the world's largest and powerful democracies, have shown a marked upswing. These relations had long been colored by the U.S. Cold War perception of nonalignment as practiced by India. India's role as a de-facto Soviet protegee during the Cold War period also compounded problems between the two, as did the U.S. supply of arms and equipment to Pakistan. Relations reached their lowest ebb with the dispatch of the USS Enterprise to the Bay of Bengal in December 1971. Current Indo-U.S. convergence is evident in the democratic values the two nations share. Remolding post-Cold War Asia; combating terrorism and Islamic extremism; discouraging proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD); security of Sea Lanes of Communications (SLOCs); and protecting access to the energy resources and markets in the region are engaging both countries. This Strategy Research Project examines the threats and opportunities in the current Indo-U.S. relationship. The study focuses on the new framework that has evolved and assesses its potential for meeting both countries' aspirations of cultivating a natural alliance and, in light of their shared security interests, also analyzes the role of the militaries in furthering the strategic partnership.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 03, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA448572
Entities
People
- Anil Chait
Organizations
- United States Army War College