Saturday, November 05, 2011
For LeT, India remains the “primary target”: U.S.
From The Hindu
A report by the United States Department of Defence submitted to Congress this week suggested that India remained the “primary target” of LeT, the militant group from Pakistan that is held responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
This assessment, contained in the Report to Congress on U.S.-India Security Cooperation, was accompanied by strong arguments made in favour of deepening India-U.S. cooperation in the defence sector.
Key among these arguments was the suggestion that the U.S. ought to share “top-of-the-line technology” with India, as exemplified by the case of the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter programme. According to the DoD the JSF, also known as the F-35 Lightning II Programme, has advanced airframe, autonomic logistics, avionics, propulsion systems, stealth, and firepower, which will “ensure that the F-35 is the most affordable, lethal, supportable and survivable aircraft ever to be used by so many war-fighters across the globe.”
In this context the DoD report indicated that although the U.S.’ F-16 and F-18 were not down-selected, in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition in April 2011, “Should India indicate interest in the JSF, the U.S. would be prepared to provide information on the JSF and its requirements... to support India’s future planning.”
In the vital area of counterterrorism cooperation the DoD report noted that LeT’s activities “continue to threaten U.S. interests and South Asian regional stability,” and hence the U.S. would join with key partners such as India, “to expand counterterrorism cooperation... and our current special operations engagements in the region will continue to focus on the mutually beneficial ways in which we can enhance each other’s capabilities.”
In addition to expanding defence trade and armaments cooperation the DoD report argued that there was a continuing case for bolstering military-to-military engagements. In addition to counterterrorism cooperation this imperative would require continued focus on combined exercises, personnel exchanges and training, maritime domain awareness, countering piracy humanitarian assistance, disaster response and relief and naval and coast guard cooperation, the report noted.
Labels: 26/11 attacks, India, Indo-U.S. relations, LeT, mumbai terror, primary target, U.S. Congress, U.S. State Department
U.S. NSA heading to India
From The Hindu
Thomas Donilon, United States National Security Advisor, will be making a trip to India later this month, where he will meet with his Indian counterpart Shiv Shankar Menon and other leaders, the State Department announced.
Following a stop in Beijing Mr. Donilon’s visit to New Delhi is aimed at reviewing recent developments in the U.S.-India strategic partnership, and discussing ways to advance key elements of the relationship, the State Department said, emphasising in particular both countries’ participation in the upcoming East Asia Summit.
“Mr. Donilon’s visit underscores this Administration’s commitment to growing U.S. leadership in Asia, and our work with emerging powers, such as China and India, as a core component of this commitment,” according to an official statement here.
Labels: India visit, Indo-U.S. relations, Thomas Donilon, U.S. NSA
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Think-tank calls for “bold leap forward” in Indo-U.S. relations
From The Hindu
On the eve of United States President Barack Obama’s visit to India an influential Washington think-tank has called for “a bold leap forward” in the India-U.S. relationship, arguing in particular for the U.S. to establish a vision for what it sought in the relationship and to give concrete meaning to the phrase “strategic partnership.”
The report by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) entitled Natural Allies: A Blueprint for the Future of U.S.-India Relations argued that a growing closeness between India and the U.S. was important because although neither sought the containment of China, “the likelihood of a peaceful Chinese rise increases if it ascends in a region where the great democratic powers are also strong.”
Reflecting a “non-partisan” effort the report’s principal authors were former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and former Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, both guided by CNAS Senior Fellow Richard Fontaine.
In particular, the report focused attention upon counterterrorism and defence cooperation, calling for enhanced cooperation in both areas between the two countries. With regard to defence cooperation at a military-to-military level the CNAS report acknowledged shortcomings in progress to date owing to bureaucratic inertia in both countries.
According to the report’s authors Indian leaders believed that the U.S. export control system hindered India’s acquisition of U.S. high-tech defence products and thus the U.S. ought to “modify its export-control measures… permitting increased exports of defence-related technology and goods to India.”
The authors went further into specific detail on this count, emphasising that the U.S. ought to remove the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) subsidiaries from the Entity List, “as the Indian government draws clearer lines between its civil space and civil nuclear activities on the one hand, and its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons activities on the other.”
Touching upon one of the issues that India has repeatedly stressed at international forums, the Natural Allies report urged the U.S. to support India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. It argued, “The U.S. should commit, publicly and explicitly, to work with India in support of its permanent membership in an enlarged UNSC.”
However the report acknowledged that an India-U.S. partnership at the UNSC may take time to develop, and “India and U.S. votes in the U.N. General Assembly last year matched just 30 per cent of the time.”
The CNAS volume also did not shy away from highlighting a few other dimensions of the India-U.S. relationship that were not yet settled, including the two countries’ divergent views on how to approach the Iran question, and also the impasse that had been reached on the bilateral civil nuclear agreement after the passage of the nuclear liability bill by the Indian Parliament.
On the eve of United States President Barack Obama’s visit to India an influential Washington think-tank has called for “a bold leap forward” in the India-U.S. relationship, arguing in particular for the U.S. to establish a vision for what it sought in the relationship and to give concrete meaning to the phrase “strategic partnership.”
The report by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) entitled Natural Allies: A Blueprint for the Future of U.S.-India Relations argued that a growing closeness between India and the U.S. was important because although neither sought the containment of China, “the likelihood of a peaceful Chinese rise increases if it ascends in a region where the great democratic powers are also strong.”
Reflecting a “non-partisan” effort the report’s principal authors were former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and former Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, both guided by CNAS Senior Fellow Richard Fontaine.
In particular, the report focused attention upon counterterrorism and defence cooperation, calling for enhanced cooperation in both areas between the two countries. With regard to defence cooperation at a military-to-military level the CNAS report acknowledged shortcomings in progress to date owing to bureaucratic inertia in both countries.
According to the report’s authors Indian leaders believed that the U.S. export control system hindered India’s acquisition of U.S. high-tech defence products and thus the U.S. ought to “modify its export-control measures… permitting increased exports of defence-related technology and goods to India.”
The authors went further into specific detail on this count, emphasising that the U.S. ought to remove the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) subsidiaries from the Entity List, “as the Indian government draws clearer lines between its civil space and civil nuclear activities on the one hand, and its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons activities on the other.”
Touching upon one of the issues that India has repeatedly stressed at international forums, the Natural Allies report urged the U.S. to support India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. It argued, “The U.S. should commit, publicly and explicitly, to work with India in support of its permanent membership in an enlarged UNSC.”
However the report acknowledged that an India-U.S. partnership at the UNSC may take time to develop, and “India and U.S. votes in the U.N. General Assembly last year matched just 30 per cent of the time.”
The CNAS volume also did not shy away from highlighting a few other dimensions of the India-U.S. relationship that were not yet settled, including the two countries’ divergent views on how to approach the Iran question, and also the impasse that had been reached on the bilateral civil nuclear agreement after the passage of the nuclear liability bill by the Indian Parliament.
Labels: Barack Obama, CNAS report, India tour, Indo-U.S. relations
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Obama visit in early November
From The Hindu
President Barack Obama on Thursday announced that he would be visiting India in early November 2010.
Speaking to a packed reception hall at the State Department building in Foggy Bottom, Mr. Obama said, “During his state visit, the Prime Minister graciously invited me and my family to visit India this year, and I happily accepted. And as I confirmed to him when we spoke last week, I am delighted to announce tonight that I plan to visit India in early November.”
As it happened, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, speaking just before Mr. Obama, had reiterated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s, and indeed, all of India’s anticipation of the Obama family visit later this year.
The President said he looked forward to advancing the U.S.-India partnership, to experiencing all that India and its people and its incredible ancient culture had to offer, adding in a lighter vein, "And I intend to create an ‘Obama Platter'" after noting earlier that a restaurant in New Delhi was now serving a ‘Hillary Platter’.
PTI Adds
A senior Administration official later said the dates of President Obama's travel to India have been fixed from November 7 to 10. It is expected to be announced closer to the visit. The First Lady would also travel with Mr. Obama to India.
Looking forward to his visit to India, Mr. Obama quoted from an eminent European scholar who travelled to India more than a century ago: “Whatever sphere of the human mind you may select for your special study, whether it be language or religion or mythology or philosophy, whether it be law or customs, primitive art, or science, you have to go to India, because," he said, "some of the most valuable and instructive material of the history of man are treasured up in India, and India only".
Mr. Obama said: "So when it comes to the sphere of our work, building a future of greater prosperity, opportunity and security for our people, there is no doubt; I have to go India. But even more, I am proud to go to India, and I look forward to the history that we will make together, progress that will be treasured not just by this generation but by generations to come."
Earlier in his remarks, Mr. Krishna said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recalls very warmly his meeting with the U.S. President at the successful Nuclear Security Summit in April 2010. “He and over one billion citizens of India look forward to welcoming you and your family later this year,” the External Affairs Minister said. “A very warm and heartfelt welcome awaits you and the family,” he added.
Labels: civil nuclear deal, Indo-U.S. relations, Obama India visit, terrorism
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