808 Words Short Essay on developments in Bilateral Relations

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh first met President Bush on September 21, 2004 at New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session, where he remarked that the “best” in India- U.S. relations was “yet to come”.

The tsunami that struck south and south-east Asia in December, 2004, while catastrophic in the victims it claimed, provided an opportunity for the Indian and U.S. navies to work closely together in search, rescue and reconstruction efforts. It underscored the interoperability of the navies of the two countries in a real life situation.

Meanwhile, the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) process, first launched in January 2004 was moving forward rapidly, bringing along in its wake greater transparency and predictability in U.S. licensing arrangements for Indian imports of sensitive items and technology, leading to a significant rise in high-tech trade between the two countries.

NSSP was successfully completed during the Prime Minister’s visit. The conclusion of an Open Skies Agreement between India and the United States in April 2005, inked by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta added further ballast to the changing relationship.

Enhanced connectivity between the two countries in terms of greater flights will provide a boost to trade, tourism and business. The decision by Air India to purchase 68 Boeing aircraft in a deal valued at US $ 8 billion is an important milestone in commercial relations.

Visits to India by Defense Secretary Rumsfeld in December 2004 and Secretary of State Rice in March 2005 gave clear indications that the United States viewed its relationship with India from a strategic perspective thereby providing a framework for greater cooperation between the two countries on a wide range of issues.

External Affairs Minister and Defense Minister visited Washington in April and June, 2005 respectively raising the level of the dialogue to a higher plane and paving the way for the successful trip by Prime Minister Singh in July.

The conclusion of a New Framework for the U.S. – India Defense Relationship by Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and Defense Minister Mukherjee imparts further momentum to bilateral ties.

The impact of Hurricane Katrina on ordinary people in Louisiana and Mississippi evoked sympathy amongst the people of India. As a token of our support for the affected people, India contributed US $ 5 million to the American Red Cross and also sent in a planeload of relief supplies and material.

Prime Minister Singh and President Bush, along with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, launched the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) at New York in September 2005 the two countries being the first to contribute to this initiative to the extent of US $ 10 million each. Both nations are positively inclined to a replenishment of the UNDEF.

India and the U.S. recently concluded a Science & Technology Agreement, after several years of negotiation, in October 2005, aimed at boosting cooperation between our scientists and institutions of higher learning. The Annex to the Agreement contains ways of handling IPR issues, which may arise in the course of such collaborative efforts.

President Bush’s enormously successful visit to India March 1-2, 2006 reaffirmed the commitment of the President and the Prime Minister to further expanding the growing ties between India and the United States. President Bush’s memorable public address from the ramparts of Purana Quila was a highlight of his trip to India.

The successful passage through the United States Congress of the Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006 was a landmark event in bilateral relations, which enabled President Bush to sign it into law on December 18, 2006.

This Act successfully revises U.S. law so as to enable the United States to extend full civil nuclear cooperation to India. US Commerce Secretary Gutierrez visited India in February 2007 and USTR Susan Schwab in April 2007.

The visits advanced the bilateral India- US commercial relationship and also expanded our interaction on multilateral issues including on the Doha Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. Export of Indian mangoes to the United States has commenced. A private sector advisory group has been established to provide inputs for strengthening and expanding commercial relations.

Important forthcoming events include a meeting of the India-US CEO’s Forum at New York this September and a possible visit by US Treasury Secretary Paulson to India. Secretary of State Dr. Rice may also visit India later this year.

India and the United States have had some coordination of their respective policies and positions on developments in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. More recently, the first Quadrilateral dialogue between India, the U.S., Japan and Australia was held in May 2007. India continues to be pressed by the United States Administration and the U.S.

Congress on its relations with Iran and Burma. In turn, we express our apprehensions of US policies including arms transfers to Pakistan.