US-India cooperation to focus on defence, democracy and technology: Senior diplomat Richard Verma

Washington: Identifying defence, democracy and technology as three key areas of future cooperation between the US and India, a top American diplomat has said that security ties between the two strategic partners will become even more important in the years ahead.

“There’s no question that the relationship has not moved in a straight line over its 77 years. It is built on an exceptionally solid foundation – one that’s only getting stronger. This is where the long view is important,” Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Richard Verma, wrote in a blog post on his recent return from India.

“As both President Biden and Prime Minister Modi have said, our impact on each other is important, but what we can do for the world is even more important. Whether it’s addressing food insecurity or battling the next pandemic or connecting millions to the digital economy, there is so much we can do together,” Varma wrote.

Verma, 55, is the highest-ranking Indian-American ever in the State Department. He was also the first ever Indian-American to serve as the US Ambassador to India from 2014-2017.

“So, where are we headed?” Verma wrote as he described in detail the significant growth in the India-US relationship over the last few decades.

He identified defence, democracy and technology as three key areas of cooperation between the two countries.

“Our security cooperation will become even more important in the years ahead. The threats we face are real, but building our collective capabilities, increasing sharing of information, and improving maritime domain awareness and interoperability will ensure India continues to be a provider of net security across the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” Verma wrote, amidst China flexing its muscles.

According to him, the work on “protecting, preserving, and strengthening democracy will continue to be even more important, with the rise of authoritarian leaders and movements.” “This includes continuing to strengthen a global rules-based order architecture, ensuring we bridge the divide on income inequality, and battling mis and disinformation. Democracy must continue to deliver for our peoples,” he said.

The cooperation between the US and India on emerging technologies will take on even more promise, according to Verma.

New and emerging technologies offer tremendous opportunities for economic growth and development. At the same time, recent disruptive cyber attacks, carried out by criminals and nation states, demonstrate the risk that cyber vulnerabilities can pose to global peace and security, he wrote.

“We must work together to tackle data privacy issues, such as identity theft, by exchanging knowledge on data protection issues,” he says.

Through the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership, the US is working closely with India to build and maintain internet infrastructure and strengthen cybersecurity protections.

From semiconductors to critical minerals to space exploration and innovation in clean energy, battling climate change, and so much more, this is about economic and physical security, Verma wrote.

He noted that the US and India have partnered to address the climate crisis and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement by launching the US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership. In people-to-people ties, he noted that America boasts well over four million Americans of Indian descent. Last year, the US Embassy issued over one million visas; and there are now nearly 270,000 Indian students in the United States, Verma wrote.

Looking back at the bilateral ties, he noted that following India’s independence, “our political leaders were wise to understand India’s critical importance and they set out to build a true partnership.” Former presidents Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F Kennedy were all committed to seeing a strong US-India relationship, he wrote.

“Then, somewhat rapidly, India and the United States went their separate ways. For nearly 25 years, the two countries grew distant, some would say “estranged,” removed from our shared values, all the while remaining somewhat cordial. We lost a generation of cooperation,” the senior US diplomat lamented.

Then, it was in the year 2000, with President Bill Clinton’s visit, that “we began to see the thaw in ties and the launch of a full-scale partnership. For the next 24 years, we grew dramatically in every facet of our cooperation,” he wrote.

“We went from 0 dollars in defence sales to now being major defence partners, co-production partners, and conducting the most complex of exercises in every facet,” he wrote, adding that the bilateral trade went from USD 20 billion in 2000 to over USD 200 billion today.” (PTI)