India-U.S. Relations
Abstract
The end of the Cold War freed India-U.S. relations from the constraints of global bipolarity, but interactions continued for a decade to be affected by the burden of history, most notably the longstanding India-Pakistan rivalry and nuclear weapons proliferation in the region. The new century, however, has witnessed a sea change in bilateral relations, with far more positive interactions becoming the norm. Today, President George W. Bush calls India a "natural partner" of the United States, and his Administration seeks to assist India's rise as a major power. In July 2005, President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh issued a Joint Statement resolving to establish a "global partnership" between their two countries through increased cooperation on numerous economic, security, and global issues. In this Joint Statement, the Bush Administration dubbed India "a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology" and vowed to achieve "full civilian nuclear energy cooperation" with India. As a reversal of three decades of U.S. nonproliferation policy, such proposed cooperation is controversial and would require changes in both U.S. law and international guidelines. Congress took action on enabling legislation in the summer of 2006. Also in 2005, the United States and India signed a 10-year defense framework agreement that calls for expanding bilateral security cooperation. Since 2002, the United States and India have engaged in numerous and unprecedented combined military exercises. Discussions of possible sales to India of major U.S.-built weapons systems are ongoing. Continuing U.S. interest in South Asia focuses on ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, curtailing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, concerns about human rights issues related to regional dissidence and separatism in several Indian states, and support of India's efforts to transform its economy through fiscal reform and open markets.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 09, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA475269
Entities
People
- K. A. Kronstadt
Organizations
- Library of Congress