The Way Forward

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Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs upcoming meeting with President Barack Obama shines the light on a vital relationship of great importance not only because of its bilateral impact, but the difference it makes for peace and progress everywhere.

US-India

THE MAGAZINE
India Abroad September 27, 2013

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JASON REED/REUTERS

Indias Ambassador to the United States Nirupama Rao.

The Silent Revolution

The US and India share more than a partnership, they share a fellowship forged on the anvil of shared interests, values, and concerns. AMBASSADOR NIRUPAMA RAO on the journey so far and the way forward.
hen strategic partners and sister democracies like India and the United States of America meet, the world sits up and takes note. Therefore, the visit of Indias Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh to Washington, DC and his upcoming meeting with President Barack Obama shines the light on a vital relationship of great importance not only because of its bilateral impact, but the difference it makes for peace and progress everywhere. Contributors to this supplement have raised several important questions in the context of this relationship and its growth over the last decade. It is acknowledged that there has been a remarkable improvement in relations between the two countries over the last decade, and that for

India, the range of engagement with the US (over 30 dialogue mechanisms) far exceeds that with any other country. No longer are there hyphens attached to India in thinking circles in Washington; the civilian nuclear deal overcame difficult legacies of the past, and the US has reset not only its vision of India, but also Indias place in Asia and the world. The defense of pluralism, of diversity, of democracy is a mutually shared perspective. There is also recognition of the pivotal role played by the Indian-American community. But our learned contributors also speak of a need for work on both sides to re-launch the partnership, to dispel perception of a loss of momentum, to set long term goals in the bilateral relationship, to impress upon Americans that India is a place where they can do business. With the good sense possessed by democracies,

it is also amply recognized that unidimensional approaches cannot dictate the manner in which the relationship is transacted. This cannot detract however, from the fundamentally positive orientation of relations between India and the United States. Speaking in Mumbai during his visit to India in July this year, the Vice President Joe Biden put it in his inimitable way, I am absolutely confident absolutely confident in the future of this relationship. Not because Im nave. Ive been around longer than most of you. Ive been doing this kind of business my entire adult life. My confidence is based on the history of the journey of both our countries. But I am confident. And as Vice-President Biden also put it, there is no hyperbole in the

little more than eight years ago, on July 18, 2005, Dr Manmohan Singh embarked on perhaps the most audacious diplomatic mission an Indian prime minister has undertaken to completely transform the long troubled relationship with the United States of America. By removing the fish bone in the throat as a senior Indian diplomat once described the US decision to sign a civilian nuclear agreement with India President George W Bush enforced his administration and his nations commitment to a new and powerful association with India. Much has happened in the years since. There have been many moments of exhilarating triumph as there have been moments of intense disappointment. Despite the belief in some quarters that the USIndia relationship has not achieved its full potential, despite the occasional anxiety and the frustrations on both sides, it is amply clear that the worlds two greatest democracies are closer today than they have ever been. To mark what could be Dr Singhs final visit to the United States as prime minister, India Abroad invited diplomats and strategic thinkers in New Delhi and Washington, DC to assess the current state of the USIndia relationship and suggest a road map for the future. For the first time in India Abroads 43-year-old history, we invited a Guest Editor to edit this special issue of the India Abroad Magazine. One of the finest diplomats in the history of the Indian Foreign Service, Ambassador Nirupama Rao. When we invited Indias Ambassador to the United States to be our first-ever Guest Editor, she gracefully consented on condition that she would see every word that went into this, the special issue of the India Abroad Magazine. She has been a tough editor, scrutinizing every article, making numerous valuable suggestions and bringing her 40-year-old most distinguished diplomatic career to bear on the rich portfolio of insights we bring to you this week. This is an issue of the India Abroad Magazine like none other. What you will find within are a colorful tapestry of views that profile what President Obama described as the most decisive relationship for this, the 21st century. We are pleased to feature these contributors in this special issue and deeply honored to have Ambassador Rao as its Guest Editor. The Editors

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PARESH GANDHI

The Way Forward

THE MAGAZINE
India Abroad September 27, 2013

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transfer pricing for research and development centers. Preferential Market Access guidelines for private sector comdefinition of this relationship as a definpanies have been kept in abeyance in ing partnership. view of the concerns expressed by USCongressman Joe Crowley, co-chair, based investors. House Caucus on India and the Indian In areas like energy, education and Americans, writing in this supplement, health, our partnership is robust and says, We have simply come too far flourishing. Strong public-private parttogether to turn back, adding that the nerships have been forged in solar enerfruits of cooperation far outweigh the gy research, building energy research, costs of discord. and advanced biofuels. There have been There is a sense of maturity in the encouraging developments concerning relationship today, as Robert Hathaway openings for shale gas exports from the notes in these pages, which more than US to non-Free Trade Agreement councompensates for the sense of anticipatries, from which India (with its huge tion that coursed through the veins a few and only partially fulfilled energy years ago. A settled routine prevails. A requirements) hopes to benefit. measured sense of mature realism Our Higher Education Dialogue is also underscored by basic goodwill and promoting strategic institutional partempathy is not to be lightly dismissed. It nerships, deepening collaboration in can be the lodestar for a durable relaresearch and development, fostering tionship where the best is yet to be. partnerships in community college eduWhen I recce the landscape of our cation, junior faculty development and bilateral relations, I direct the pointer empowered classrooms through online towards our enhanced engagement in education. Sixteen joint India-US areas like defense and security, exchange research projects have been awarded of high-level visits, the regular meetings PARESH GANDHI under the Singh-Obama 21st Century of the India-US Strategic Dialogue since Knowledge Initiative. Considering 2010, our burgeoning trade and ecoIndian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao edits this special issue of the India Abroad Magazine at the Indias demographic dividend of young nomic partnership, and the sharper Ambassadors residence in Washington, DC. This is for the first time in the newspapers 43-year-old history people, our cooperation in Higher focus that has been brought to the peothat we invited a Guest Editor. Education is a critically important pillar ple-centric dimension of our relationof the Strategic Partnership. ing, combating illicit finance, bulk cash smuggling and ship, together with our cooperation in sectors such as eduThe cutting edge for the future of both our countries is counterfeiting, cyber-security and critical infrastructure cation, energy, S&T, innovation, health and space science. innovation. Nowhere is this more apparent than in our protection, port, border, maritime, transportation and supContacts between states in India and those in the United cooperation in science and technology. And, even more ply chain security, science and technology cooperation and States have also been a feature of our exchanges. The US importantly, this involves the youth of both countries. The S capacity building. Congress, and particularly members of the India Caucus, N Bose and Khorana fellowships for young students are The business of diplomacy is business, as has been said. have time and again shown their focus and commitment to examples. The Millennium Alliance involving Indias Noteworthy is the growth in trade volume, both in goods the cause of better US-India relations. This is a silent revoDepartment of Science and Technology, the Trade and services between our two countries (close to 100 billion lution, not a blockbuster one, but epochal all the same. Development Board, USAID and the Federation of Indian $ last year). We have set our sights on an early convening of In civil nuclear cooperation, negotiations between Indias Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the India-US. S&T the bilateral Trade Policy Forum. Negotiations on a Nuclear Power Corporation and Westinghouse as also GEEndowment Fund for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, the Bilateral Investment Treaty have recommenced in July this Hitachi are under way. Progress even if slow, is steady, susJoint Clean Energy Research and Development Center, the year. There is a fulsome discussion ongoing by both governtained by the political will of both governments to ensure monsoon desk at NOAA, collaboration in the prevention ment and industry on the Indian side with US stake holders that this cooperation achieves its goals. We look forward to and management of Diabetes and the India-US Science & that highlights our concerns on any restrictions sought to continued US support and cooperation in securing Indias Technology Forum are forums that illustrate our innovabe imposed on the movement of high-skilled non-immimembership of the four multilateral export control regimes. tions partnerships. grant professionals employed by Indian information techIn defense, our cooperation has intensified with growing In the field of health, the Vaccine Action Program is a nology companies into the United States. We endorse the defense trade, joint exercises, personnel exchanges, cooperproductive collaboration and the momentum it has created view recently expressed by five distinguished former US ation in maritime security and counter piracy operations. has seen the development of a new rotavirus vaccine: Ambassadors to India that there should be a clean immiThe aggregate worth of Indias defense acquisitions (includROTAVAC, the first entirely new vaccine developed within gration reform bill that does not include any discriminatory ing the C-130 J-30, C-17 Globe Master III, and Poseidon 8 I India in over 100 years. provisions that may harm US or Indian interests, and aircrafts) from the US has crossed $9 billion. There is Indias relations with the US began in 1792, when which supports the growth of the US-India knowledge intention to now take our defense ties to a level where we President George Washington commissioned Benjamin Joy, economy. Our IT and other companies whose investments can simplify technology transfer policies and explore possiof Newburyport and Boston, to be Consul at Calcutta (as it in the US economy are significant, have generated a few bilities of co-development and co-production of defense was then called) and other ports and places on the coast of hundred thousand jobs in the US, creating livelihoods and systems. India and Asia. wellbeing. Our strategic consultations and our dialogues covering Truly, our relations have endured the test of time. There is It is true that concerns are expressed in the US about the East Asia, Central Asia and West Asia are also an important continuity, there is hope and promise, never denied, but to pace of reform in India. We are sensitive to these concerns aspect of our partnership. Trilateral mechanisms for diabe fully fulfilled. The two countries share more than a partbecause we value our investment ties with US businesses. logue with Japan, and also with Afghanistan are additionalnership, they share a fellowship forged on the anvil of India has prioritized the improvement of its investment clily, a key feature. shared interests, values, and concerns. mate, and significant foreign direct investment liberalizaAs Lisa Curtis puts it in these pages, there is a strategic A steady, steadfast, and mature approach to the relationtion has occurred in the past year in multi-brand retail, sinlogic in our ties. This is especially so when we widen the ship in its present state, as well as in charting the course gle-brand retail, civil aviation, telecommunications and lens beyond bilateral relations to the Asian stage and forward should propel us in our journey to the future. And, defense. Clearances for pending projects have been fastbeyond. we need to take a holistic view always, relating everything tracked by a Cabinet-level empowered committee, (170 Cooperation in counter-terrorism has seen considerable to context, because uni-focal approaches cannot do projects worth US $ 30.45 billion cleared until early progress with intelligence sharing and information justice to this unique fellowship, this sisterhood of August, 2013), taxation issues have been addressed upfront exchange, and the institutionalization of the Homeland democracies. and clarified, including General Anti-Avoidance Rules and Security Dialogue covering engagement in megacities polic-

The Silent Revolution