The US has recognised India as a “major defence partner”, a significant move for the country to be treated at par with America’s closest allies for defence-related trade and technology transfer.
The two sides also finalised the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement to facilitate mutual logistic support for authorised port visits, joint exercises, joint training and HA-DR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief). The MoU is likely to be signed soon, said a senior official in the Barack Obama administration.
“Noting that the US-India defence relationship can be an anchor of stability and given the increasingly strengthened cooperation in defence, the United States hereby recognises India as a Major Defence Partner,” stated a joint statement issued after PM Narendra Modi held talks with US President Barack Obama on Tuesday.
According to the statement, under the ‘Major Defence Partner’ recognition, the US will continue to work towards facilitating technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners.
Meanwhile, the White House said that the meeting between President Obama and PM Modi resulted in progress on finalising some key defence agreements between India and the US. “I can tell you that there was important progress on finalising agreements relating to defence logistics, sharing of maritime information, and even the movement of US aircraft carriers in the region,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.
The joint statement said, “the leaders reached an understanding, under which India would receive licence-free access to a wide range of dual-use technologies in conjunction with steps that India has committed to take to advance its export control objectives.”
In support of India’s ‘Make In India’ initiative and to support the development of robust defence industries and their integration into the global supply chain, the statement said the US would continue to facilitate the export of goods and technologies, consistent with the US law, for projects, programmes and joint-ventures in support of official US-India defence cooperation.
Applauding the enhanced military-to-military cooperation between the two countries especially in joint exercises, training and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Obama and Modi expressed their desire to explore agreements which would facilitate further expansion of bilateral defence cooperation in practical ways.
India and the US also finalised text of an Information Exchange Annex to enhance data and information sharing specific to aircraft carriers technology.
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said India and the US have reached an understanding to finalise the Framework for the US-India Cyber Relationship.
The two leaders also “resolved that the US and India should look to each other as priority partners in the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean region,” the joint statement.
During the meeting, Obama and Modi applauded the completion of a roadmap for cooperation under the 2015 US-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region, which they said would serve as a guide for collaboration in the years to come.
The US welcomes India’s interest in joining the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, as India is a dynamic part of the Asian economy, the statement said. They welcomed the enhanced engagement on intellectual property rights under the High Level Working Group on Intellectual Property.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to use this dialogue to continue to make concrete progress on IPR issues by working to enhance bilateral cooperation among the drivers of innovation and creativity in both countries.