Presidential Election 2020: Charting the Future of India-US Ties

Founded on the shared commitment to freedom, democratic principles, equality, human rights and rule of law, India-America relationship has undergone a transformative change over time from 1947 to 2020. Along with convergence of interests and democratic values, America is one of the strongest strategic partners of India. This relationship has become multi-dimensional by increasing cooperation in the fields of security and defence, trade and investment, science and technology, environment, agriculture, education, space technology, cybersecurity, nuclear energy, health, etc. Moreover, with China’s growing footprint and flexing of muscles in the Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean region, the chances and need for both India and the US to collaborate and cooperate in order to contain Chinese uncontrolled and aggressive expansion in the region have increased. On the trade front, the overall US-India bilateral trade in goods and services reached US$ 149 billion in FY19. US energy exports is an important area of growth in this relationship. Comparing the data, trading relationship is more consequential for India. However, cooperation in defence and security in the changing political and security architecture has brought the two countries to work together. This trade involving military hardware and defence cooperation highlights the overall engagement and has been a strong point of mutual agreement and benefit between the two countries. The main aim should be to strengthen cooperative research, co-production and co-development of capabilities required for the modernisation and long-term sustainment of military forces. This increasing cooperation and growing relationship have become even more important with the rise in non-traditional security threats and the rise of middle powers at the global stage.

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