MAKTAB COMPETITIVE EXAMS SERVICES
Current Affairs Workshop for CSS Special
Instructor: Arslan Zahid Khan (CSP 51st CTP)
US India Strategic Partnership: Regional Implications
and Impacts on Pakistan
Defining Strategic Partnership
A Brief History of US India Defense Partnership:
1. General Security and Military Information Agreement (GSMIA)2002 that allows
both militaries to share intelligence gathered by them.
2. New Framework for India-US defense Cooperation which was renewed for a
period of 10 years in 2015. It was first signed in 2005
3. 123 Civil Nuclear deal in 2008
4. Defense technologies and Trade Initiative (DTTI) 2012
5. Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) 2016
6. US designated India as a Major Defense Partner (MDP) in 2016, a status unique
to India.
7. Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) 2018. It was
a follow up of GSMIA.
8. Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) 2020. BECA aims to address
all bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest. BECA is an important
agreement between two nations that aims for greater military cooperation,
providing geospatial intelligence, GPS (Global Positioning System) technology,
accurate satellite images, and maps that strengthen the defense of both countries.
9. India has been added to Strategic Trade Authorization -1 (STA-1) list of the US in
2018. STA authorizes the export, re-export and in-country transfer of certain
specified items on the Commerce Control List (“CCL”) to destinations that pose a
low risk of unauthorized or impermissible use.
10. Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) 2022: It is a framework
agreed upon by India and the U.S. for cooperation on critical and emerging
technologies in areas such as wireless telecommunication, artificial intelligence
(AI), semiconductors and quantum computing, 5G and 6G technology.
Current Developments of Defense and Strategic Cooperation:
1. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin, recently paid a two days’ visit to India with
an aim to reinforce this country’s defense partnership and advance cooperation in
critical domains. The two countries developed a roadmap for US India Defense
Industrial Cooperation, which will fast track technology cooperation, co-production
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in areas such as air combat and land mobility system, intelligence, surveillance,
munitions and undersea domains.
2. India plans to procure 30 MQ- 9B armed drones for over $3Bn
3. Establishment of India US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), a new
initiative of advance cutting edge technology
4. Upgradation of C-130 J, planes, C-17 Transporters, P 81 maritime aircrafts, CH 47
Chinook helicopters worth more than 21 billion dollars
5. The Pacific Command has been renamed as Indo US Pacific Command
6. Proposed deal of assembling General Electric Jets in India
7. Bilateral military Exercises: YudhAbhyas, Vaira Prahar, Tiger Triumph, US-India-
Japan Malabar Exercises
8. Trade and Economic Relations: US has become India’s Biggest trading partner in
2023 according to Financial Times, in 2022, India received the highest ever FDIs
from US worth 81 billion dollars. The US is one of the top 5 destinations for Indian
FDIs. India joined Indo pacific Economic Framework with the 13 partner countries
to build an exclusive economic alliance in indo pacific.
9. Energy and Climate Change Cooperation: Established Joint Clean Energy
Research and Development Center in 2010, Clean Energy Agenda 2030
Partnership in 2021
Driving Factors behind Indo-US Nexus:
1. Shared Democratic Values (Political ideology is Western democracy)
2. Aims of Countering Terrorism (Common Threats are Alqaeda, ISIS, ISK, Lashkar
e Taiba)
3. Growing threat of China in Indo Pacific region
4. Economic Interests particularly in terms of Indian Human capital
5. India’s Strategic location: a close proximity to world’s strategic maritime routes
Challenges ahead for Indo US Partnership:
1. Different Strategic Priorities: Non alignment vs Close alignment, Differences over
Sanctions on Iran and Russia
2. Human Rights Concerns: Modi’s crack down of critics, persecution of minorities,
issues of religious freedom, crack down of BBC offices after the documentary
published against Modi. Differences were seen in Biden’s visit to India in recent G
20 summit
3. Problems in procuring energy Security: In terms of energy, India is more interested
in regional suppliers like Russia, Iran and CARs. Sanctions on Iran and Russia
have created hurdles for Indian energy demands
4. Different approach towards China: Pacific vs confrontational approach
5. India’s Global Ambitions: De-dollarization – India’s currency went global, India as
a part of anti-American alliances SCO and BRICS, India has its own geostrategic
interests.
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Implications for the Region:
1. Counter balancing Chinese growing influence
2. Diplomatic leverage on weaker countries
3. Enhanced influence on regional organizations such as QUAD and ASEAN
4. A security dilemma for neighbors (Pakistan, China, Iran) that would lead to arms
race
5. Less scrutiny of Human rights violation and freedom of speech in the wake of
greater geopolitical interests. Source Article: (The Illusion of US India Partnership
by Arundhati Roy from New York Times)
Impacts on Pakistan:
1. Strategic Implications: Indo US Nuclear deal is antithetical to the foundation bases
of NPT that states NPT signatory cannot maintain defense and strategic relations
with non NPT member. Shifting nuclear balance between India and Pakistan in
favor of the former.
2. Political Implications: Further strengthen the role of military in political affairs of the
country. Weakening the political leverage of Pakistan in Afghanistan particularly
the last visit of Taliban delegation to India.
3. Economic Implications: Compromised human development and inclusive economy
due to Investments in country’s defence. Pakistan would not be able to take
advantages of regional economics owing to rivalry with India and volatile
Afghanistan
4. Seeking counterbalancing partnerships with Russia and China
5. Pakistan may face diplomatic isolation at international forums
6. Security and terrorism in geostrategic transit provinces
Policy Options for Pakistan:
1. Diversification of economy through structural economic reforms to reduce
dependence on foreign economic aid
2. Modernization of military to cater a newly emerging threats of hybrid war posed by
rival countries
3. Encouraging Track II diplomacy between India Pakistan and US think tanks to
create peaceful environment in the region
4. Sustaining nuclear restraint through first strike nuclear doctrine
5. Developing confidence building measures with India through the forums of SAARC
and SCO
6. Exploiting economic opportunities with neighbors through transit trade and
multilateral trade agreements
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