n the aftermath of World War II, President Harry Truman and Secretary of State George Marshall devised a new paradigm for foreign policy resulting in several decades of creative and successful international relations. Utilizing innovative diplomacy and building renowned world institutions, this produced a period of peace, prosperity, and democratic priorities. While China and Russia are attracting overwhelming attention these days, the Biden Administration needs to replicate the innovation and forward thinking of Truman to achieve renewed international leadership, structure ambitious coalitions of democratic partners on security issues, and design a workable level of strategic competition with China. India is a key player for all three geopolitical objectives. This is the moment for the Biden-Harris Administration to move the bilateral relationship to the logical next stage of converting strategic overlap into global power outcomes.
Leveraging the Role of International Relations
Identifying common objectives and consequently leveraging increased power to achieve your desired outcome is the key to international relations. Over the past two decades, a bipartisan foreign policy from Washington, DC has helped to fashion deep defense, national security, and counterterrorism ties between America and India. This has led to enhancing mutual trust, overcoming years of India fearing a U.S.-Pakistan alliance, questioning whether they can rely on the U.S., and elevating new possibilities of U.S. and India cooperating on the world stage. The United States has strongly supported India’s ascension as a global power, as President Obama announced his intention for India to be a member of the United Nations Security Council when he visited the Indian Parliament in 2010. America has encouraged India to be active in international peace-keeping operations, regional disaster relief efforts and anti-piracy programs. India is now presiding over the World Health Organization, beginning its role as a non-permanent member on the United Nations Security Council, and continuing its important role in the Paris Climate Agreement. India's growing influence and position in international organizations highlight these important policy issues and increase the likelihood of working successfully with other countries to advocate and achieve tangible goals.
U.S. and India Health Partnerships
The pressing COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to expand health partnerships between the United States and India, paving the way for vaccine distribution and medical research. Working with several countries to integrate the pandemic response measures, the United States Agency for International Development has announced $13.1 million in funding to combat COVID-19 in India. With COVID-19 products included in the economic aid recommendations, the United States and India can provide the global leadership needed to get the vaccine to poor and developing countries. This requires both sufficient manufacturing volumes and insisting on affordable prices, which could be facilitated by India’s leadership in the WHO and underscored by the United States’ intention to reinstate its international influence, reestablish alliances and project worldwide soft power.
Ensuring Essential Security Agreements
Regional partnerships and nimble coalitions will serve as essential security agreements for the ensuing decade. India and the United States have deepened their bilateral defense partnership and expanded their global cooperation through the formation of the Quadrennial Security Dialogue, an organization comprised of four countries, including Australia and Japan. The Quad consults on collective initiatives to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, including semi-regular summits, conducts military drills between member countries, and facilitates sensitive information exchanges, which should expand into the cybersecurity realm. The Biden Administration should embrace the challenge of maturing and deepening the Quad to achieve more substantive national security objectives and deliver on specific goals. India’s role is ripe with potential, not only in this multilateral defense organization but also as a non-permanent member on the United Nations Security Council, where they should expand their agenda from UN reform to nuclear non-proliferation and climate change policies. While some foreign policy experts have criticized India as lacking a grand strategy or not confidently projecting their foreign policy into the region, Prime Minister Modi and his team have been working assiduously to counter these criticisms. Consequently, establishing viable security agreements should be a priority for the Biden Administration’s foreign policy team and a defining opportunity for rebuilding alliances worldwide.
Advancing Climate Efforts and the Global Economy
Climate change is producing more extreme weather and impacting food and water security issues around the globe. As India refines its influence on the Paris Climate Agreement, Biden has robustly committed the United States to this agreement while advocating for every major country to prioritize their domestic climate targets. The opportunities for larger climate policy success depend on reopening the dialogue with India on green technology, energy and agricultural issues. Like the ‘green revolution’ of the 1960s initiated by American agronomist Dr. Norman Borlaug, there can be a renewed investment in hydro and solar partnerships between the United States and India that utilize advanced and clean technologies for environmentally friendly agricultural production. The effort not only bolsters economic ties between the United States and India, but it also presents an innovative opportunity for ecofriendly practices that aid in developing solutions to climate change.
Facing the Challenge of China
The challenge of an aggressive China is common to all of Asia, not just to the United States. The European Union has worked on their policy paper for the United States, to be presented soon to President-elect Biden, to possibly coordinate responses to the China threat. China is perched on the Indian border at Doklam where in a border skirmish 21 Indian soldiers were killed. Both India and the U.S. are increasingly concerned about President Xi Jinping’s external aggression and internal oppression. We see China's popularity in the world decreasing, as Australia is targeted by China with blunt economic bullying, and many ASEAN nations are pushing back against Chinese expansion in the South China Sea. Ominously, the Chinese Communist Party has been spreading its influence through the One Belt, One Road initiative and expanding their interference in 5G technology. India has acted quickly to numerous Chinese threats by banning 59 Chinese apps and more strictly limiting their foreign investment.
With questions on confronting China, the United States and India have advanced their defense agreements and security partnerships. The third annual U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue held in October 2020 advocated for further cooperation on maritime interoperability and security, sharing sensitive geospatial information, and endorsing an ongoing dialogue for defense capabilities in the region. The U.S. and India rarely talked to one another 30 years ago about defense issues, yet now coordinate numerous advanced military exercises together, facilitate $20 billion in military equipment sales, and are exploring advanced AI and cybersecurity cooperation. Considering the high stakes of security issues in the region, the United States should explore more opportunities to partner with Indonesia, restore closer relations with the Philippines, and further improve security partnerships with Japan and South Korea. ASEAN will be an even more important coalition for economic and business deals for the U.S., as 50 percent of trade in the world now flows through the Indo-Pacific region. Over the next four years, President Biden, Vice President Harris and Air Force 1 and 2 will be ever-present in Asia.
There are several other issues that will continue to bring India and America closer. Both countries share a diverse population and devotion to the democratic ideals of human rights, law and order, and liberty. They are cooperating on reforms to higher education, developing community college best practices and faculty exchanges, and improving teacher training programs. From exploring the stars in space to searching the deepest ocean depths for life, virtually every idea is open to greater cooperation. Reflecting back to a meeting between President Obama and Prime Minister Singh in New Delhi, Obama asked him: “What issues should we be talking about that will impact us 10 to 20 years from now?” The answer to his question today is that the relationship between our two countries has unlimited and infinite potential. But it also means we should be able to discuss sensitive issues, including human rights policy and trade barriers, with mutual respect and without animosity.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will spill into the next decade, as it has exacerbated existing problems of more middle-class people falling into poverty and has accelerated the pernicious trends of inequality and excessive nationalism. Challenges persist, yet opportunities for addressing these issues demand new ideas and bold leadership. The Biden-Harris Administration confronts a disrupted world order, but one which is ready for change and one that features India stepping into and delivering on its global roles.
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First 100 Days: The Next Stage of U.S.-India Relations
January 20, 2021
The next Stage for U.S.-India relations: implementing strategic convergence and projecting global power.
I
n the aftermath of World War II, President Harry Truman and Secretary of State George Marshall devised a new paradigm for foreign policy resulting in several decades of creative and successful international relations. Utilizing innovative diplomacy and building renowned world institutions, this produced a period of peace, prosperity, and democratic priorities. While China and Russia are attracting overwhelming attention these days, the Biden Administration needs to replicate the innovation and forward thinking of Truman to achieve renewed international leadership, structure ambitious coalitions of democratic partners on security issues, and design a workable level of strategic competition with China. India is a key player for all three geopolitical objectives. This is the moment for the Biden-Harris Administration to move the bilateral relationship to the logical next stage of converting strategic overlap into global power outcomes.
Leveraging the Role of International Relations
Identifying common objectives and consequently leveraging increased power to achieve your desired outcome is the key to international relations. Over the past two decades, a bipartisan foreign policy from Washington, DC has helped to fashion deep defense, national security, and counterterrorism ties between America and India. This has led to enhancing mutual trust, overcoming years of India fearing a U.S.-Pakistan alliance, questioning whether they can rely on the U.S., and elevating new possibilities of U.S. and India cooperating on the world stage. The United States has strongly supported India’s ascension as a global power, as President Obama announced his intention for India to be a member of the United Nations Security Council when he visited the Indian Parliament in 2010. America has encouraged India to be active in international peace-keeping operations, regional disaster relief efforts and anti-piracy programs. India is now presiding over the World Health Organization, beginning its role as a non-permanent member on the United Nations Security Council, and continuing its important role in the Paris Climate Agreement. India's growing influence and position in international organizations highlight these important policy issues and increase the likelihood of working successfully with other countries to advocate and achieve tangible goals.
U.S. and India Health Partnerships
The pressing COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to expand health partnerships between the United States and India, paving the way for vaccine distribution and medical research. Working with several countries to integrate the pandemic response measures, the United States Agency for International Development has announced $13.1 million in funding to combat COVID-19 in India. With COVID-19 products included in the economic aid recommendations, the United States and India can provide the global leadership needed to get the vaccine to poor and developing countries. This requires both sufficient manufacturing volumes and insisting on affordable prices, which could be facilitated by India’s leadership in the WHO and underscored by the United States’ intention to reinstate its international influence, reestablish alliances and project worldwide soft power.
Ensuring Essential Security Agreements
Regional partnerships and nimble coalitions will serve as essential security agreements for the ensuing decade. India and the United States have deepened their bilateral defense partnership and expanded their global cooperation through the formation of the Quadrennial Security Dialogue, an organization comprised of four countries, including Australia and Japan. The Quad consults on collective initiatives to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, including semi-regular summits, conducts military drills between member countries, and facilitates sensitive information exchanges, which should expand into the cybersecurity realm. The Biden Administration should embrace the challenge of maturing and deepening the Quad to achieve more substantive national security objectives and deliver on specific goals. India’s role is ripe with potential, not only in this multilateral defense organization but also as a non-permanent member on the United Nations Security Council, where they should expand their agenda from UN reform to nuclear non-proliferation and climate change policies. While some foreign policy experts have criticized India as lacking a grand strategy or not confidently projecting their foreign policy into the region, Prime Minister Modi and his team have been working assiduously to counter these criticisms. Consequently, establishing viable security agreements should be a priority for the Biden Administration’s foreign policy team and a defining opportunity for rebuilding alliances worldwide.
Advancing Climate Efforts and the Global Economy
Climate change is producing more extreme weather and impacting food and water security issues around the globe. As India refines its influence on the Paris Climate Agreement, Biden has robustly committed the United States to this agreement while advocating for every major country to prioritize their domestic climate targets. The opportunities for larger climate policy success depend on reopening the dialogue with India on green technology, energy and agricultural issues. Like the ‘green revolution’ of the 1960s initiated by American agronomist Dr. Norman Borlaug, there can be a renewed investment in hydro and solar partnerships between the United States and India that utilize advanced and clean technologies for environmentally friendly agricultural production. The effort not only bolsters economic ties between the United States and India, but it also presents an innovative opportunity for ecofriendly practices that aid in developing solutions to climate change.
Facing the Challenge of China
The challenge of an aggressive China is common to all of Asia, not just to the United States. The European Union has worked on their policy paper for the United States, to be presented soon to President-elect Biden, to possibly coordinate responses to the China threat. China is perched on the Indian border at Doklam where in a border skirmish 21 Indian soldiers were killed. Both India and the U.S. are increasingly concerned about President Xi Jinping’s external aggression and internal oppression. We see China's popularity in the world decreasing, as Australia is targeted by China with blunt economic bullying, and many ASEAN nations are pushing back against Chinese expansion in the South China Sea. Ominously, the Chinese Communist Party has been spreading its influence through the One Belt, One Road initiative and expanding their interference in 5G technology. India has acted quickly to numerous Chinese threats by banning 59 Chinese apps and more strictly limiting their foreign investment.
With questions on confronting China, the United States and India have advanced their defense agreements and security partnerships. The third annual U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue held in October 2020 advocated for further cooperation on maritime interoperability and security, sharing sensitive geospatial information, and endorsing an ongoing dialogue for defense capabilities in the region. The U.S. and India rarely talked to one another 30 years ago about defense issues, yet now coordinate numerous advanced military exercises together, facilitate $20 billion in military equipment sales, and are exploring advanced AI and cybersecurity cooperation. Considering the high stakes of security issues in the region, the United States should explore more opportunities to partner with Indonesia, restore closer relations with the Philippines, and further improve security partnerships with Japan and South Korea. ASEAN will be an even more important coalition for economic and business deals for the U.S., as 50 percent of trade in the world now flows through the Indo-Pacific region. Over the next four years, President Biden, Vice President Harris and Air Force 1 and 2 will be ever-present in Asia.
There are several other issues that will continue to bring India and America closer. Both countries share a diverse population and devotion to the democratic ideals of human rights, law and order, and liberty. They are cooperating on reforms to higher education, developing community college best practices and faculty exchanges, and improving teacher training programs. From exploring the stars in space to searching the deepest ocean depths for life, virtually every idea is open to greater cooperation. Reflecting back to a meeting between President Obama and Prime Minister Singh in New Delhi, Obama asked him: “What issues should we be talking about that will impact us 10 to 20 years from now?” The answer to his question today is that the relationship between our two countries has unlimited and infinite potential. But it also means we should be able to discuss sensitive issues, including human rights policy and trade barriers, with mutual respect and without animosity.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will spill into the next decade, as it has exacerbated existing problems of more middle-class people falling into poverty and has accelerated the pernicious trends of inequality and excessive nationalism. Challenges persist, yet opportunities for addressing these issues demand new ideas and bold leadership. The Biden-Harris Administration confronts a disrupted world order, but one which is ready for change and one that features India stepping into and delivering on its global roles.
