1

RELATIONSHIP OF INDIA AND AMERICA

SUBMITTED TO:

Mr. Kamal Narayan

(Assistant Professor, Political Science)

SUBMITTED BY:

Ayush Kabra

Roll No. - 49

Semester – 2nd

Section - A

B.A. L.L.B (Hons.)

SUBMITTED ON:

1 February, 2020

HIDYATULLAH NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, ATAL NAGAR, RAIPUR,

CHHATTISGARH
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DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this project work titled “RELATIONSHIP OF INDIA AND AMERICA”
is my own work and represents my own ideas, and where others’ ideas or words have been
included, I have adequatly cited and referenced the original sources. I also declare that I have
adhered to all principles of academic honesty and integrity and have not misrepresented or
fabricated or falsified any idea/data/fact/source in my submission.

Ayush Kabra
Roll No. – 49
Section - A

.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First & foremost, I would like to thank my Faculty of Political Science, Assistant Professor Mr.
Kamal Narayan, for giving me opportunity to work on this project named - “RELATIONSHIP
OF INDIA AND AMERICA”. His guidance and support has been instrumental while making
my project on this important issue.

I would also like to thank all authors, writers, columnists and social thinkers whose ideas and
works have been made use of in my Project. My heartfelt gratitude also goes to all staff and
administration of HNLU for the infrastructure in the form of our library and IT lab that was a
great source of help in the completion of this Project.

I also thank my friends for their precious inputs which have been very useful in the completion
of this Project.

I would also like to thank my parents, my seniors, dear colleagues and friends in the University,
who have helped me with ideas about this work. I hope you will appreciate my true work which
is indeed a hard work and a result of my true research and work.

Ayush Kabra
Roll No. – 49
Section - A
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents
DECLARATION.........................................................................................................................................2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................5
TRADE RELATIONS.................................................................................................................................6
Exports.....................................................................................................................................................6
Imports....................................................................................................................................................7
POLITICAL RELATIONS.........................................................................................................................8
EDUCATION RELATIONS.....................................................................................................................10
DEFENCE RELATIONS..........................................................................................................................11
COUNTER TERRORISM AND INTERNAL SECURITY......................................................................13
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.............................................................................................................14
HEALTH SECTOR...................................................................................................................................15
CULTURAL COOPERATION.................................................................................................................16
MEDIA......................................................................................................................................................17
ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE RELATIONS..............................................................................18
PEOPLE TO PEOPLE TIES.....................................................................................................................20
WHY INDIA MATTERS TO THE USA?................................................................................................21
WHY THE USA MATTERS TO INDIA?................................................................................................23
CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................................24
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................25
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INTRODUCTION

The relationship between India and America is known as Indian–American relations or Indo–

American relations. It is the international relationship between the two nations. Such a
relationship has been existed from thousands of years. There is strong relationship between the
two countries. The bilateral ties between the nations range from Trade, Education, Health, to
over Space. Both countries are equally important to each other. The United States and India have
shared interests in promoting global security, stability, and economic prosperity through trade,
investment and connectivity. 

Regular exchange of high-level political visits has provided sustained momentum to bilateral
cooperation, while the wide-ranging and ever-expanding dialogue architecture has established a
long-term framework for India-U.S. engagement. Today, the India-U.S. bilateral cooperation is
broad-based and multi-sectoral, covering trade and investment, defence and security, education,
science and technology, cyber security, high-technology, civil nuclear energy, space technology
and applications, clean energy, environment, agriculture and health. Vibrant people-to-people
interaction and support across the political spectrum in both countries nurture our bilateral
relationship.
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TRADE RELATIONS

India US Trade Relations is the significant aspect of the global and strategic partnership existing
between the two countries, United States and India . The U.S. is the fifth largest source of foreign
direct investments into India.1

The U.S. goods trade deficit with India was $20.8 billion in 2018, a 9.0% decrease ($2.1 billion)
over 2017.

The United States has a services trade deficit of an estimated $4.4 billion with India in 2018,
down 3.7% from 2017.

Exports

India was the United States' 12th largest goods export market in 2018.
 U.S. goods exports to India in 2018 were $33.5 billion, up 30.6% ($7.9 billion) from 2017 and
up 89.5% from 2008. U.S. exports to India account for 2.0% of overall U.S. exports in 2018.

The top export categories (2-digit HS) in 2018 were: precious metal and stone (diamonds) ($7.9
billion), mineral fuels ($6.7 billion), aircraft ($2.9 billion), machinery ($2.2 billion), and organic
chemicals ($1.6 billion).

1
https://www.clear.com/india-us-bilateral-relations/
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Imports

India was the United States' 10th largest supplier of goods imports in 2018.

U.S. goods imports from India totaled $54.3 billion in 2018, up 11.9% ($5.8 billion) from 2017,
and up 111.4% from 2008. U.S. imports from India account for 2.1% of overall U.S. imports in
2018.

The top import categories (2-digit HS) in 2018 were: precious metal and stone (diamonds) ($11
billion), pharmaceuticals ($6.3 billion), machinery ($3.3 billion), mineral fuels ($3.2 billion), and
vehicles ($2.8 billion).
 8

POLITICAL RELATIONS

The frequency of high-level visits and exchanges between India and the U.S. has gone up
significantly of late. Prime Minister Modi visited the U.S. on 26-30 September 2014; he held
meetings with President Obama, members of the U.S. Congress and political leaders, including
from various States and cities in the U.S., and interacted with members of President Obama's
Cabinet. He also reached out to the captains of the U.S. commerce and industry, the American
civil society and think tanks, and the Indian-American community. A Vision Statement and a
Joint Statement were issued during the visit.

The visit was followed by President Obama's visit to India on 25-27 January 2015 as the Chief
Guest at India's Republic Day. During the visit, the two sides issued a Delhi Declaration of
Friendship and adopted a Joint Strategic Vision for Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean Region.2

Both sides elevated the Strategic Dialogue between their Foreign Ministers to Strategic and
Commercial Dialogue of Foreign and Commerce Ministers.

Prime Minister Modi again visited the U.S. on 23-28 September 2015, during which he held a
bilateral meeting with President Obama, interacted with leaders of business, media, academia,
the provincial leaders and the Indian community, including during his travel to the Silicon
Valley. In 2016, Prime Minister visited the U.S. for the multilateral Nuclear Security Summit
hosted by President Obama in Washington D.C. on 31 March-1 April. This was soon followed
by an official working visit by Prime Minister on 6-8 June, during which he held bilateral
discussions with President Obama, and also addressed a Joint Session of the U.S. Congress.

Prime Minister Modi was the sixth Indian Prime Minister to address the U.S. Congress. There is
frequent interaction between the leadership of the two countries, including telephone calls and

2
https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/India_US_brief.pdf
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meetings on the sidelines of international summits. President Trump and Prime Minister Modi
have spoken thrice over phone since the former’s election in November 2016. A hotline has been
established between the Prime Minister's Office and the U.S. White House.

In the year 2019, President of USA Donald Trump called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
for a programme named “ HOWDY MODI”.

Both countries call each other Political Leaders on discussing various issues and as a political
gesture on occasions like Independence and Republic day.
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EDUCATION RELATIONS

Cooperation in education sector has been made an integral part of the strategic partnership
between the two countries. The Fulbright program was renewed in 2008, with enhanced mandate
and joint funding, to provide more student and scholar exchange grants. About 130,000 Indian
students are pursuing advanced degrees in the U.S. The Higher Education Dialogue, which has
had four meetings since 2011 (last in November 2014 in New Delhi), laid out the road map for
promoting strategic institutional partnerships, deepening collaboration in research and
development, fostering partnerships in vocational education and focusing on junior faculty
development.

India is learning from the U.S. experience in community colleges in order to meet our demands
for skill-development. It has been agreed to collaborate with U.S. institutions in the area of
Technology Enabled Learning and Massive Open On-line Courses (MOOCs) to extend the reach
of education in India. Under the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) launched by
India, upto 1000 American academics will be invited and hosted each year to teach in Indian
universities at their convenience. The two sides are also collaborating to establish a new Indian
Institute of Technology in Ahmadabad.

Both countries are learning a great from each other specially India. India is taking new
techniques. In India specially in the Higher Education Institutes more focus is given on practical
training rather than the theoretical.

India has also started different courses on 3d printing, Artificial Intelligence unlike that of USA.
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DEFENCE RELATIONS

Defence relationship has emerged as a major pillar of India-U.S. strategic partnership with the
signing of ‘New Framework for India-U.S. Defense Relations’ in 2005 and the resulting
intensification in defence trade, joint exercises, personnel exchanges, collaboration and
cooperation in maritime security and counter-piracy, and exchanges between each of the three
services. The Defence Framework Agreement was updated and renewed for another 10 years in
June 2015.

The two countries now conduct more bilateral exercises with each other than they do with any
other country. India participated in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in July-August 2016
for the second time with an Indian Naval Frigate. Bilateral dialogue mechanisms in the field of
defence include Defence Policy Group (DPG), Defence Joint Working Group (DJWG), Defence
Procurement and Production Group (DPPG), Senior Technology Security Group (STSG), Joint
Technical Group (JTG), Military Cooperation Group (MCG), and Service-to-Service Executive
Steering Groups (ESGs).The agreements signed during the past one year include, Logistics
Exchange Memorandum of Association (LEMOA) signed in August 2016, Fuel Exchange
Agreement signed in November 2015,Technical Agreement (TA) on information sharing on
White (merchant) Shipping signed in May 2016 and the Information Exchange Annexe (IEA) on
Aircraft Carrier Technologies signed in June 2016.

Aggregate worth of defence acquisition from U.S. Defence has crossed over US$ 13 billion.
India and the United States have launched a Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI)
aimed at simplifying technology transfer policies and exploring possibilities of co-development
and co-production to invest the defence relationship with strategic value. The DTTI Working
Group and its Task Force will expeditiously evaluate and decide on unique projects and
technologies which would have a transformative impact on bilateral defence relations and
enhance India's defence industry and military capabilities. During President Obama's visit in
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January 2015, the two sides agreed to start cooperation on 4 DTTI pathfinder projects and 2
pathfinder initiatives, which are currently at various stages of execution. During RM's visit in
December 2015, the two sides also identified opportunities for bilateral cooperation in
production and design of jet engine components.

During Secretary Carter's visit in April 2014, two more G-2-G DTTI projects were added to the
list. The DTTI meeting in Delhi in July 2016 decided to broaden its agenda by setting up five
new Joint Working Groups on: Naval Systems; Air Systems, Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance; Chemical and Biological Protection; and Other Systems. During the visit of
Prime Minister to the U.S. in June 2016, the U.S. recognised India as a "Major Defence Partner",
which commits the U.S. to facilitate technology sharing with India to a level commensurate with
that of its closest allies and partners, and industry collaboration for defence co-production and
co-development.3

3
https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ India_US_brief.pdf
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COUNTER TERRORISM AND INTERNAL SECURITY

Cooperation in counter-terrorism has seen considerable progress with intelligence sharing,

information exchange, operational cooperation, counter-terrorism technology and equipment.
India-U.S. Counter-Terrorism Cooperation Initiative was signed in 2010 to expand collaboration
on counter-terrorism, information sharing and capacity building. A Homeland Security Dialogue
was announced during President Obama's visit to India in November 2010 to further deepen
operational cooperation, counter-terrorism technology transfers and capacity building. Two
rounds of this Dialogue have been held, in May 2011 and May 2013, with six Sub-Groups
steering cooperation in specific areas. In December 2013, India-U.S Police Chief Conference on
homeland security was organized in New Delhi. Police Commissioners from India's top four
metropolis paid a study visit to the U.S. to learn the practices of megacities policing in the U.S.
in November 2015. The two sides have agreed on a joint work plan to counter the threat of
Improvised Explosives Device (IED). In order to further enhance the counter terrorism
cooperation between India and the U.S., an arrangement was concluded in June 2016 to facilitate
exchange of terrorist screening information through the designated contact points. India-U.S.
Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism held its 14th meeting in July 2016 in Washington
DC.
 14

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The India-U.S. S&T cooperation has been steadily growing under the framework of U.S.-India
Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement signed in October 2005. There is an Indo-U.S.
Science & Technology Joint Commission, co-chaired by the Science Advisor to U.S. President
and Indian Minister of S&T. The U.S. attended as the partner country at the Technology Summit
2014 at New Delhi.

In 2000, both the governments endowed the India-U.S. Science & Technology Forum (IUSSTF)
to facilitate mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in science, engineering, and health.4 Over
the past decade, the IUSSTF has facilitated more than 12,000 interactions between Indian and
U.S. scientists, supported over 250 bilateral workshops and established over 30 joint research
centers. The U.S.-India Science & Technology Endowment Fund, established in 2009, under the
Science and Technology Endowment Board promote commercialization of jointly developed
innovative technologies with the potential for positive societal impact.

Collaboration between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and U.S. National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration has been strengthened under the 2008 MOU on Earth Observations
and Earth Sciences. A "monsoon desk" has been established at the U.S. National Centers for
Environmental Prediction. India's contribution of $250 million towards Thirty-Meter Telescope
Project in Hawaii and Indian Initiative in Gravitational Observations (IndiGO) with U.S. LIGO
Laboratory are examples of joint collaboration to create world-class research facilities.

The American Space Agency named NASA has also collaborated with Indian Space Agency
named ISRO on various programs.

4
https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/India_US_brief.pdf
 15

HEALTH SECTOR

Under the 2010 U.S.-India Health Initiative, four working groups have been organized in the
areas of Non-Communicable Diseases, Infectious Diseases, Strengthening Health Systems and
Services, and Maternal and Child Health. In order to build up the disease surveillance and
epidemiological capacity in India, Global Disease Detection-India Centre was established in
2010 and an Epidemic Intelligence Service program launched in Oct 2012. U.S. National
Institutes of Health, the Indian Council of Medical Research, and India's Department of
Biotechnology have developed a robust relationship in the biomedical and behavioral health
sciences, research related to HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases,
eye disease, hearing disorders, mental health, and low-cost medical technologies. In the first
meeting of the Health Dialogue in September 2015 in Washington DC, both sides agreed to
collaborate institutionally in the new areas of mental health and regulatory and capacity-building
aspects of traditional medicine.5

5
https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-india-relations
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CULTURAL COOPERATION

Cultural cooperation between India and the U.S. is rich and manifest in diverse ways. Apart from
the India-focused educational programs at the Universities and educational institutions, many
private institutions teach Indian cultural arts. In addition to the website
‘www.indianembassy.org’ and social media channels, the Embassy provides updated information
on various aspects of India that are relevant to the United States, through its various publications,
including “India: Partner in Growth”, a weekly newsletter focusing on business and strategic
matters, and “India Live", a monthly newsletter providing information on initiatives of the
Embassy and the Consulates, major developments in India, and culture and tourism. Cultural
activities by the Embassy are grouped in to Reading India Series (featuring events related to
Indian authors and writings), Performing Indian Series (featuring music, dance and theatre),
Beholding India Series (film screening, art and photo exhibitions).6

Understanding India Series (featuring lectures on comprehensive and cross-sectional views of

India), and Young India Series (cultural events catering specifically to younger audience).
During the visit of Prime Minister to the U.S. in June 2016, the two countries also announced
their decision to celebrate 2017 as Travel and Tourism Partner Countries.

6
https://thediplomat.com/2019/06/us-india-relations-at-the-crossroads/
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MEDIA

Indian media is present in strength in the U.S., including PTI, IANS, Times of India, The Hindu,
The Hindustan Times, Outlook, Pioneer and other Indian media organizations, which have
correspondents based in Washington D.C. and other major cities. The TV channels represented
in the U.S. include NDTV, Times Now, CNN-IBN and Asia TV. Reflecting the growing
relevance of Internet based information dissemination, correspondents from websites like
Rediff.com, Firstpost.com based here also cover the India-U.S. relations.
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ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE RELATIONS

The U.S.-India Energy Dialogue was launched in May 2005 to promote trade and investment in
the energy sector, and held its last meeting in September 2015 in Washington DC. There are six
working groups in oil & gas, coal, power and energy efficiency, new technologies& renewable
energy, civil nuclear co-operation and sustainable development under the Energy Dialogue.
Investment by Indian companies like Reliance, Essar and GAIL in the U.S. natural gas market is
ushering in a new era of India-U.S. energy partnership. The U.S. Department of Energy has so
far given its approval for export of LNG from seven liquefaction terminals in the U.S., to
countries with which the U.S. does not have a free trade agreement (FTA) - with two of these
five terminals, the Indian public sector entity, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) has offtake
agreements, totaling nearly 6 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA). These terminals are
expected to be complete and in a position to export cargoes by late 2016/early 2017. As a priority
initiative under the PACE (Partnership to Advance Clean Energy), the U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) and the Government of India have established the Joint Clean Energy Research
and Development Center (JCERDC) designed to promote clean energy innovations by teams of
scientists from India and the United States, with a total joint committed funding from both
Governments of US$ 50 million. India and the U.S. are advancing cooperation and dialogue on
climate change through a high level Climate Change Working Group and a Joint Working Group
on Hydro fluro carbon. In November 2014, an MoU between U.S. EXIM Bank and Indian
Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) was concluded to provide US$ 1 billion in
financing for India’s transition to a low-carbon economy. A new U.S.-India Partnership for
Climate Resilience has been agreed to, in order to advance capacity for climate adaptation
planning, as also a new U.S.- India Climate Fellowship Program to build long-term capacity to
address climate change-related issues. To further collaboration in the area of clean energy and
climate change, in June 2016, the two sides announced finalization of a package to provide
concessional finance to support clean energy projects on track, to coordinate U.S. Government
 19

efforts on clean energy investment in India jointly with leading Indian financial institutions, and
to provide liquidity to small scale renewable energy investors.
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PEOPLE TO PEOPLE TIES

The 3.5-million-plus strong Indian American community is an important ethnic group in the
U.S., accounting for about 1% of the total population in the country. Indian American
community includes a large number of professionals, business entrepreneurs and educationalists
with increasing influence in the society. With two Indian Americans occupying high level posts
of Governor and several representatives of the people, the Indian Diaspora has assimilated into
their adopted country and is acting as a catalyst to forge closer and stronger ties between India
and the U.S. The two countries have been working together to facilitate travel of their respective
citizens, and to this end an MOU has been signed in June 2016 to facilitate India's joining of the
Global Entry Programme for expedited immigration for eligible Indian citizens at U.S. airports.
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WHY INDIA MATTERS TO THE USA?

India is an indispensable partner for the United States. Geographically, it sits between the two
most immediate problematic regions for U.S. national interests. The arc of instability that begins
in North Africa goes through the Middle East, and proceeds to Pakistan and Afghanistan ends at
India’s western border.

The Indian landmass juts into the ocean that bears its name. With the rise of Asian economies,
the Indian Ocean is home to critical global lines of communication, with perhaps 50 percent of
world container products and up to 70 percent of ship-borne oil and petroleum traffic transiting
through its waters.

India’s growing national capabilities give it ever greater tools to pursue its national interests to
the benefit of the United States. India has the world’s third-largest Army, fourth-largest Air
Force, and fifth largest Navy. All three of these services are modernizing, and the Indian Air
Force and Indian Navy have world-class technical resources, and its Army is seeking more of
them.

India is an important U.S. partner in international efforts to prevent the further spread of
weapons of mass destruction.7

India’s broad diplomatic ties globally (most importantly in the Middle East), its aspirations for
United Nations (UN) Security Council permanent membership, and its role in international
organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency makes New Delhi an especially
effective voice in calls to halt proliferation.

India’s position against radicalism and terrorism corresponds with that of the United States.

India’s English-speaking and Western-oriented elite and middle classes comfortably partner with
their counterparts in U.S. firms and institutions, including more than 2.8 million Indian
Americans. The U.S. higher education system is an incubator of future collaboration, with more
than 100,000 Indian students in American universities.

As India modernizes and grows it will spend trillions of dollars on infrastructure, transportation,
energy production and distribution, and defence hardware. U.S. firms can benefit immensely by
providing expertise and technology that India will need to carry out this sweeping
transformation.

7
https://www.orfonline.org/tags/india-us/
 22

India-USA cooperation is critical to global action against climate change.8

India is genuinely committed to a world order based on multilateral institutions and cooperation
and the evolution of accepted international norms leading to accepted international law.

Indian culture and diplomacy have generated goodwill in its extended neighborhood. New Delhi
has positive relations with critical states in the Middle East, in Central Asia, in Southeast Asia,
and with important middle powers such as Brazil, South Africa, and Japan—all of the strategic

value to the United States. India’s soft power is manifest in wide swaths of the world where its
civil society has made a growing and positive impression.

Indian democracy has prospered despite endemic poverty; extraordinary ethnic, religious, and
linguistic diversity; and foreign and internal conflicts.9

8
https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?
Query=INDIA+USA+RELATIONS&acc=on&wc=on&fc=off&group=none
9
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/us-relationship-with-india-is-critically-
important-menendez/articleshow/71345840.cms?from=mdr
 23

WHY THE USA MATTERS TO INDIA?

America remains the critical stabilizing force in Asia through its military and diplomatic
power projection and commitments to the region.

The twentieth century bore witness to a multi generation U.S. efforts to prevent the
emergence of any hostile hegemon on the Eurasian landmass, a function that the United
States continues to fulfill today with the help of its Asian partners.

China has chosen episodically to ignore global nonproliferation norms, a pattern of behaviour
that the United States has assiduously sought to curtail. Though no nation can a priori prevent
future Chinese proliferation activities, only a U.S.-led international effort has any chance of
success.

India will be better able to protect its national interests in Pakistan and Afghanistan in
coordination with the United States.10

The United States will continue to be important for India’s economic success. India’s
economy has been built around unleashing domestic consumption rather than relying on
exports.

The United States has also remained one of the top sources of foreign direct investment in
India, bringing important managerial expertise, capital, and technology with it to the dynamic
Indian market.

The United States has a long-term commitment to maintain security and freedom of
navigation on the high seas, something critical to India as a net energy importer.

Washington retains unparalleled power and influence in global governance institutions.

As India seeks a larger role in the UN Security Council and international monetary
institutions, U.S. support for India will be critical to reforms that benefit New Delhi’s national
interests.

The United States retains a sizable technological edge on many commercials, aerospace, and
defence technologies, the access to which benefits Indian national interests as well as Indian
firms and customers.

10
https://www.ukdiss.com/examples/india-us-relations.php
 24

CONCLUSION

The United States and India have shared interests in promoting global security, stability, and
economic prosperity through trade, investment, and connectivity. The United States supports India’s
emergence as a leading global power and vital partner in efforts to ensure that the Indo-Pacific is a
region of peace, stability, and growing prosperity.  The strong people-to-people ties between our
countries, grounded in shared values, are a tremendous source of strength for the partnership. In
2018, India hosted the inaugural 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi led by the U.S. Secretaries
of State and Defense, and the Indian Ministers of External Affairs and Defense, at which both sides
affirmed the importance of India’s designation as a Major Defense Partner of the United States and
agreed to expand defense and security cooperation. 
 25

REFERENCES

1. www.jstore.org

2. www.mygov.in

3. https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-us-relations/217101

4. https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/south-central-asia/india

5. https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/India_US_brief.pdf

6. https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-india-relations