The Indo-US bilateral relationship got a new direction after the July 2009 Joint Statement by the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Government of India highlighting the areas that the two countries would focus on. The bilateral relationship rode on immense confidence in the aftermath of the framework agreement of the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal for at least more than half a decade. In the annals of Indo-US ties, 2015 would be remembered as a transformative year which set the tone for a new dimension of active engagements at the top leadership level and a growing defence partnership that is set to become an anchor of global security. The year started with a historic India visit of US President Barack Obama wherein he attended the annual Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on 26th January. By this he not only became the first American President to attend the top Indian parade, but also only the first one to visit India twice. Today US sees India as a “very influential and powerful player” in the Asia Pacific and is going to play an ever increasing role in the region. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter’s three-day visit to India was an important step in the implementation of some of the key decisions being taken by US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last two years. Obama Administration’s “Asia Pacific Rebalance” and Modi Government’s “Act East Asia” is what Carter described as “strategic handshake”, between the two largest democracies of the world. Today US sees India’s influence all the way around, South East Asia and into East Asia, and refers to the close relationship it now has with Japan in the Asia-Pacific region which is strategically important to counter the growing Chinese influence in the region. Also is at stake the large arms deal India has been scouting around for some time and American players like Boeing are eyeing a share in the pie.
