U.S.-India Military Relationship: Matching Expectations

摘要

President Bush's visit to India in 2006 created expectations of greater military cooperation between Washington and New Delhi. The military relationship between the two countries has proved difficult in the past for a number of geopolitical reasons. For example, Washington and New Delhi disagreed on India's non-aligned stance during the Cold War, on the role of Pakistan in South Asia and on nuclear weapons. Since sanctions were waived against India in September 2001, the military relationship has often outpaced other aspects of this renewed engagement, but the Government of India and especially its military are unsure that the United States is a reliable defense supplier and ally. Resolving these challenges over the next five years will determine the extent of military cooperation between the two nations and will avoid creating unrealistic expectations regarding a strategic military partnership. To be successful, the military-to-military relationship must fit into the current domestic and international political agendas of both countries. Military cooperation could be the catalyst for greater collaboration in areas of mutual interest between 'the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy.' Given the U.S.-India geopolitical context, determine what types of military cooperation are most likely to be successful and which types should be avoided. Review the strengths and challenges of current bilateral programs by comparing U.S. and Indian geopolitical interests to identify which are complementary and which are in conflict. Based on this comparison, determine what types of military cooperation are most likely to be viewed as mutually beneficial and what types are problematic for one or the other. The scope of the research is focused on the next five years (2007-2012) as documented in available literature (see Works Cited) and using official government documents and interviews.