Above partners, below allies

The US-India 2+2 diplomatic and defense dialogue, taking place today, November 10th, is attracting attention as it will clarify the depth of the relationship, which is considered "above partnership, below ally."

The US-India 2+2 diplomatic and defense dialogue is attracting attention because it will clarify the depth of a relationship often described as 'above partnership, below ally'. (Source: YouTube)

It is worth remembering that at the US-India Summit in June 2023, to affirm that the US-India relationship is "one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world today," Washington and New Delhi signed a series of important agreements.

Now, at the highest level of assessment on a range of issues, from defense, nuclear, space, cybersecurity, visas to health … this dialogue between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin with their counterparts from the host country, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh, will have to concretize those commitments.

First and foremost are the technology and defense sectors, two key pillars shaping US-India relations. While a memorandum of understanding has been signed between General Electric (GE) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to manufacture 99 GE F414 jet engines in India, specific details such as India's level of involvement in prototype development and engine testing still need clarification.

General Atomics' plan to assemble 31 advanced MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and build a global maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility in India will also need to be accelerated to promote research and collaborative production, not just business operations, affirming the US commitment to removing trade barriers with India in the defense and high-tech sectors.

The plan to position India as an alternative to China in the global supply chain requires concrete steps. In addition, bilateral and global concerns, developments in the Indo-Pacific region, and India's role will also be discussed.

Only through such concrete collaborations can US-India relations be considered to have undergone a qualitative transformation.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/quan-he-my-an-do-tren-doi-tac-duoi-dong-minh-249414.html