From handshakes to outcomes: taking the US-India defense partnership forward
Strolling around the Tidal Basin in Washington DC amidst the season of cherry blossoms where trees become celeb-trees and people buzz around them like bees is a time every year which symbolizes a new cycle of vitality and vibrancy, I as a strong advocate of the US-India defense partnership was thinking of a road that the two (oldest and largest democracies) are going to take in the 21st century.
Towards this end, on March 13 in Washington DC, my organization, CUTS International, a global public policy research and advocacy group along with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) organized a round-table discussion on “Future of US-India Defense Partnership”, which facilitated a broader understanding of what to expect in the short-to-long term window and how to emphasize on the criticality of fostering a resilient defense industrial base to secure the current world order.
Listening to the distinguished experts representing Industry giants such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Mahindra, and Tata, and representations from academia, government officials from the Department of State and Department of Defense, and established think-tankers among other US-India watchers, I learnt about the significant shift that is happening and the areas that are going to be in the front row of this most consequential partnership of this era.
The COVID-19 pandemic was spotlighted as a pivotal moment for tech collaboration, particularly in cyber connectivity and the maritime domain, the speakers also brought attention to the US's National Defence Industrial Strategy, pinpointing challenges like STEM workforce shortages in the US, which India's skilled manpower could mitigate.
Furthermore, future bilateral dialogues could explore the potential in uncharted cooperation areas, aiming to foster joint technological efforts within the Quad framework and accentuate maritime and underwater domain synergies. The diaspora and the human bridge will have a larger share of this pie.
At the close of the event, I mentioned that we remain committed to facilitating such meaningful dialogues that contribute to the strengthening of bilateral ties, fostering mutual understanding and cooperation between nations, especially to strengthen the Indo-Pacific region.
This pitstop event was an initiative marking CUTS International’s 40th anniversary aimed at fortifying the bilateral strategic dynamics in the Indo-Pacific realm and the 10th event in this series happening around the world.
About CUTS International
CUTS International, established in 1983, and headquartered in Jaipur, Rajasthan has grown to become a leading global public policy research and advocacy group with a focus on consumer sovereignty, economic equality, and environmental balance. Its mission with six overseas centers extends across borders, aiming to influence policies in the realms of trade, regulation, and strategic affairs including defense and sustainable development.
CUTS WDC Center was established in 2018. The focus areas are Trade, and Strategic Issues including tech & innovation, energy and defense. This center aims to impact US-India economic and strategic relations in the broader Indo-Pacific context. The Center actively engages with all stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific region, countries of the rekindled quadrilateral, international trade bodies and institutions globally. The Center is well positioned for discussions on economic and strategic issues which impact the partner institutions and countries.
About the Author
Purushendra Singh Shekhawat is an Indian geopolitical analyst who is the Assistant Director of CUTS International, a global public policy research and advocacy group. There, he works on broader areas of US-India economic and strategic areas. He has written and edited for multiple publications and spoken on topics such as global affairs and security arrangements.
https://cuts-international.org/
https://cuts-global.org/index.htm
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Email: prh@cuts.org
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