About India-US Bilateral Relations

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• India-US Bilateral Relations
• Defence Cooperation between India and US
• Trade & Economic Relations between India and US
• Strategic Energy Partnership/ Climate & Clean Energy Agenda 2030
• S&T and Space Cooperation between India and US
• News Summary: US President Biden to host PM Modi for state visit
• Why this visit is significant?

Why in news?

• For the first time in nine years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to the US for an official state visit from June 21 to 24.
• This will be PM Modi’s first state visit to the US since he assumed office in 2014. 
  • His previous visits to the US to meet then Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump at the White House were not classified as state visits. 
  • The last official state visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the US was undertaken by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009.

India-US Bilateral Relations

Defence Cooperation between India and US

• India-US defence cooperation is based on “New Framework for India-US Defence Cooperation”, which was renewed for a period of ten years in 2015. 
• In 2016, the defence relationship was designated as a Major Defence Partnership (MDP) to build a comprehensive, enduring and mutually beneficial defence partnership. 
• In July 2018, India was moved into the Tier-1 of the US Department of Commerce’s Strategic Trade Authorization license exception.
• In August 2022, a U.S. Navy Ship (USNS) Charles Drew visited in Chennai for repairs and allied services. This was the first ever repair of a U.S. Navy ship in India.
• Several defence agreements have been signed: 
  • Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Association (2016); 
  • Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (2018); 
  • Industrial Security Agreement (2019); 
  • Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (2020).
• Bilateral exercises include: Yudh Abhyas (Army); Vajra Prahar (Special Forces), a tri-services exercise– Tiger Triumph (inaugurated in 2019). 
• In November 2022, Australian Navy joined the U.S.-India-Japan MALABAR annual Naval Exercise. U.S. participated in India’s multilateral Exercise Milan 2022.

Trade & Economic Relations between India and US

• The U.S. has emerged as India’s biggest trading partner in 2022-23 on account of increasing economic ties between the two countries.
• According to the provisional data of the Commerce Ministry, the bilateral trade between India and the U.S. has increased to $128.55 billion in 2022-23 as against $119.5 billion in 2021-22. It was $80.51 billion in 2020-21.
  • Exports to the U.S. rose to $78.31 billion in 2022-23 as against $76.18 billion in 2021-22, while imports grew to $50.24 billion.
• In FY 2020-21, India received the highest ever FDI amounting to US$ 81.72 billion. USA became India’s second largest source of FDI during 2020-21 with inflows of US$ 13.82 billion. 
  • US is one of the top 5 investment destinations for Indian FDI.
• Indo-Pacific Economic Framework [IPEF]
  • India joined the launch of the IPEF in May 2022 and will work with the 13 Partner countries to build an inclusive and flexible Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.
  • India joined three Pillars of IPEF, related to supply chains, tax and anti-corruption and clean energy.

Strategic Energy Partnership/ Climate & Clean Energy Agenda 2030

• India and US have a strong bilateral partnership in energy sector. 
• In April 2021, the US and India launched “U.S.-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership,” with two tracks: 
  • Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP); and 
  • Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue (CAFMD).
• The SCEP has five pillars: 
  • Power & Energy Efficiency, 
  • Renewable Energy, 
  • Responsible Oil & Gas, 
  • Sustainable Growth, and 
  • Emerging Fuels and Technologies (hydrogen bio-fuels and waste to energy).
• USA joined the International Solar Alliance in November 2021 and ratified the ISA Agreement in September 2022.

S&T and Space Cooperation between India and US

• The Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement signed in October 2005, was renewed for 10 years in September 2019.
• ISRO and NASA are working together to realize a joint microwave remote sensing satellite for Earth observation, named NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR).
• ISRO availed NASA/JPL’s Deep Space Network Antenna support for its Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) and Chandrayaan-2 mission. Both sides are currently exploring the possibility of availing similar support for Chandrayaan-3 satellite.
• On commercial front, ISRO has launched more than 200 satellites from US, on-board Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), as co passengers.

News Summary: US President Biden to host PM Modi for state visit

• The White House has announced the state visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington DC next month.
  • PM Modi is the third world leader to be invited for a state visit by Biden, following French President Emmanuel Macron in 2022 and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in April 2023.
• The visit will underscore the growing importance of the strategic partnership between India and the United States as the two nations collaborate across numerous sectors.

Why this visit is significant?

• This visit is significant at a time when India has maintained a diplomatic tightrope walk on the Russia-Ukraine war.
  • India has chosen not to take sides explicitly, either with the US-led West or the Russian side.
• China’s aggressive behaviour at the India-China border as well as the Indo-Pacific region has brought the two countries closer.

Q1) What is NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR)?

NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is a joint Earth observation satellite mission between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The mission aims to provide high-resolution, dual-frequency radar images of the Earth’s surface for a variety of applications, including land and resource management, disaster monitoring, and climate studies.

Q2) What is meant by State visit?

A State visit is a formal visit by a head of state or a senior representative of a country to another country, usually at the invitation of the host country’s government. The purpose of a State visit is to strengthen diplomatic relations, promote trade and investment, and enhance cultural and political ties between the two countries.

Source: US President Biden to host PM Narendra Modi for state visit in June | Indian Embassy in USA | The Hindu