India-US Relations : News and Discussion- II

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 23 Mar 2016 23:01

VIvS, You think there is no shoe on other foot?

Viv S · Post by **Viv S** » 23 Mar 2016 23:32

ramana wrote:VIvS, You think there is no shoe on other foot?

I think its a natural progression to the process of elevating strategic relations. India's preparing to sign the LSA, and considering signing the CISMOA. Equally, I'm betting the US defence majors might play a major role in lobbying for it.

My point however, was that unlike the CISMOA or EUMA, this bill isn't something that can contain anything offered as a concession on India's part. Implied quid pro quo? If signed into law. Maybe. Maybe not.

Keep in mind, that the bill was introduced by the Republican co-chair of the India Caucus, so the USG/SD isn't necessarily on board. And the bill, which has no co-sponsors, is still a long long way from becoming law.

H.R. 4825 - https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr4825

When the USG gets on board, or the House Foreign Affairs committee gives it some strong backing, it could start to get some traction. Generating some buzz in the media will definitely help.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 24 Mar 2016 05:57

ramana wrote:VIvS, You think there is no shoe on other foot?

Economic benefits if negotiated won't be visible for another 5- 6 years after manufacturing in India get kicked start and all the export infrastructure is put in place. Military + Political activities will happen before economic part. I am hoping China's export go down by another 25 % this year which will be Chicago kick in their sensitive place.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 25 Mar 2016 16:31

So 2 summarize POTUS BO's accomplishments:
1. Revived crashing economy. Things have recovered nearly to 2007 levels, which had recovered almost to 2000 levels when the elephants took over and started trashing it.
2. Obamacare. All elephant dung on this topic aside, I believe the consensus that I see is that things have improved a lot and there is some glimmer of hope now for American healthcare, although a Republican win in 2016 will erase all that. A great many ppl have basic health insurance and hence some hope of health care, that did not. Then again, Trump may bring them all under Trump Health Insurance & Hospital Real Estate and Porsche Sales Inc.
3. Allowed the CIA etc to go ahead with the "Arab Spring", which has basically created a HUGE market for reconstruction and healthcare services, while keeping about 20 terrorist slums opposed to the US, all busy begging for US help to rescue their dictators.
4. Avoided direct US bombing of Damascus etc, properly disbelieving the advice of the hawks after Obama's allies set off the chemical weapon attacks. It was heading straight down the path of Colyin Bin Powell and his Satellite Photos (from 1990, shown in the UN in 2003 as contemporary) of Saddam's WMD.
5. Withdrew US forces from Iraq, greatly reducing US casualties, while allowing the ISIS to mass-murder and enslave the Yazidis and other Unbelievers.
6. Kept interest rates so low that even at 99% risk of default, it is better to lend money to Pakistan to sell F-16s than to invest in US Treasury Bonds.
7. Sold off many of the US corporations completely to Chinese investors. Now if the US economy goes down, it's THEIR stock that suffers. Ha! Take that, Mao!
8. Brought about the F-35 program at a cheap, cheap, $2T, thus achieving Norman Augustine's ^th Law:

The entire US budget will buy ONE fighter plane.

9. BROUGHT OIL PRICES DOWN to levels not seen since 2003.
10. Destroyed Russian economy.
11. Liberated Ukraine.
12. Liberated some 1 million ppl in Yemen from this miserable life.
13. Brought Europe into the same page as US in security concerns.
14. Extended US Ally Saudi Arabia's Ummah into western Europe, for the first time since Saladdin.
15. Sold Africa to the ISIS/Ummah
16. Destroyed Chinese economy with no missile strikes, no air raids, no Yalu River invasion, not even a harsh word.
17. Enhanced relations with India, simultaneously expanding Evangelist operations there.
18. Revolutionized relations with Cuba. Now Cuban economy will go down the tubes..
19. Destroyed Brazilian economy. Published nekkid pictures of Brazilian politicians via SDOTUS WikiLeaks.
20. Made MH370 disappear. Now being revealed in small pieces floated from DG. (How else does wreckage from the Australian Coast wash up in Mozambique, hain?
21. Created a vacancy on the Supreme Court to inject another Liberal.
22. Made House Speaker Boner cry. Got Pope to take him to the woodshed and make him bawl.
23. Destroyed Republican Party ****AND**** T-Party in one stroke using Trump.
24. Discovered Gravitational Waves and caused BRF Pissicks dhaga to close down

25. Caused floods in Chennai and wiped out competition from Indian companies.
26. Killed the Moon-Mars program and sent NASA to the asteroids - but they weren't there, of course.

Greatest President ever! I'll vote for him! (They allow Mongolians to vote in US elections, maybe 8 years late to get the voting machines here on yak-back, don't they?)

Look for Prez. Assad of Syria to visit US b4 November. or Maybe BO will visit Damascus with US Trade Delegation. Surely Syria needs F-16s and F-18s - and TOWs?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 25 Mar 2016 17:23

WTO solar dispute: India examining US protectionist programmes - Business Line

The government is examining options to file a case against the US in the World Trade Organisation based on programmes run by American state governments which give protection to domestic manufacturers.

This was stated by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal who was addressing an event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry on Friday.

Commenting on the WTO’s ruling on the mandatory domestic content stipulations in India’s solar power generation programme Goyal said, “There are at least nine US states which have similar programmes that give protection to domestic manufacturers. I am now examining them and after that we will file a case against the US.”

The Minister added, “We will of course go and appeal against the WTO order. But we are ingenious enough in India to find an alternate mechanism to protect our manufacturers.”

While the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission aims to add 100,000 MW of solar power by 2022, the local content requirement is only for 8,000 MW for rooftop and land-based projects where the government provides a subsidy.

India has been arguing that since the power generated through the JNNSM was bought by NTPC, a public sector agency, the transaction qualifies as government procurement and is not covered by WTO rules.

This was rejected by the WTO which stated that the domestic content requirement was on power equipment and not on power that is bought by the government.

Tarun Kapoor, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy said earlier in the week that the domestic manufacturers will be given protection by procurement through defence agencies and other such means.

“It is very unfortunate that the US decided to pursue their case against India in the WTO. All India has done is protect the domestic manufacturers who have so far given 400 MW of equipment to the installed capacity of 6,000 MW,” said Goyal.

He added, “When India scales up to a 100 GW all that the Indian manufacturers can produce is about 15-17,000 MW over the next seven years. This would still leave more than 80,000 MW of market for the world. The US took a very myopic view.”

The Minister also warned that if Indian manufacturers manage to prove a case of dumping against the US manufacturers, solar power will become expensive forcing the government to abort the solar programme.

“Our own domestic manufacturers had won a complaint against US manufacturers for dumping their products in India which would have resulted in high anti-dumping duties. I personally persuaded the Indian manufacturers and it was their magnanimity who withdrew their request. If Indian manufacturers go back to seeking anti-dumping duties, solar power will again become expensive and we may have to abort the programme,” said Goyal.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 25 Mar 2016 18:15

IMO, this "when India scales up to 100GW" of solar PV is something that is unlikely to scare anyone who thinks through that. Solar, yes; PV, no. Or to put it another way, the US will have gone to all Space Solar power

b4 that happens.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 26 Mar 2016 10:59

Sanjay Kumar: " not less than 1000 of your hard earned money" will go to Red Cross (burden). The rest will be the burden of the cross of those who are the "overhead".

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 26 Mar 2016 11:02

UB sire: what is "all space?'". Yours "miffed a tad".

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 26 Mar 2016 17:27

Space Solar Power. Great Hope of Humanity to get unlimited govt. funding forever. Promise of electricity directly from Space at a mere, low, low $500 / kWH - in 2013 dollars, delivered in 2075.
Ex-Prez A.K. was a great proponent of this - but he was always arguing for global collaboration which is a must. US models are (so far) NASA puts up station, everyone else buys from it. As efficient as ISS

Indian efforts are (mostly) to do rah-rah articles from JNU-grad mohtermas at Institute Phor Dephenj Analyjij breathlessly quoting Americans, with no knowledge of basic pissiks on either side, and strenuous travel by Babus to exotic locations for conferences that cost a mere $4000 per participant. Beijing, most recent, which should tell you the GOTUS-side seriousness: NASA is specifically prohibited from spending a dime on anything that has PRC participating. PRC happy to join the charade, the conference registration fees and hotel overcharging is enough pay-back from "Space Solar Power".

The architectures advertised so far, are so far steeped in Berkeley-Stanford that they are not worth spending time here explaining - maybe well-suited to pissicks dhaga. The costs for even the "demonstrators" dwarf even the LEGO boondoggle.

100GW is a lot of power. At 100% efficiency, that requires 1E8 square meters, hain (madarssa math permitting)? At effective 10% efficiency (how can you afford anything better?) it is 1000 square kilometers of solar cells. Doable with a mere 33km x 33 km plot in the Thar desert, if you can transmit it. But what is the reality of getting this much built, bought and installed?

Or it can be done with 100 million rooftops with 10sq m each (3m x 3m).
Present ambition, if you check the devices being advertised for "solar powered refrigerator and airconditioner" is to get 3KW per rooftop, which requires 3sqm, let's say 5 sq.m. So one would need 200 million rooftops. Or 1KW, which would take 600 million rooftops.
Can be done. In theory. But so can Space Solar Power. And if one can get those Gravity Waves to reach sufficient amplitude, one can achieve anti-gravity as well.

But with GOI babucracy and middleman corruption in the middle... ? Don't desi executives in US companies and guvrmand agencies know the realities? Which is why I am saying that the Poojya Mantri's not-so-veiled threats don't scare anyone.

Realistically, about 15-20 GW is possible with PV, which (note Poojya Mantri's Fleidian Srip) is what they are gearing indigenous manufacturing to achieve. Requires about 12 million rooftops which can be done pretty fast with subsidies and tax breaks. In fact tax credit would be smarter and quicker - it would get The Rich to swiftly install these things in plenty and essentially get off the grid. Imagine: upto 2.5 lakh in tax credit (50% of the cost paid) spread out over 5 years. No middleman. Provide proof of installation. No buy-back of power to the grid.

Present estimate for nuclear power installation is upto $12B per GW (one reactor). So 7.5 GW of nuke power would cost $90B - and take 20 years. For the same $$, with minimal headaches, they could get 15GW of solar installed, which may be equivalent to about 7.5GW nuke (24/7 steady vs. 8 hrs/day for solar) once the transmission loss/theft is accounted.

Sorry, OT, but pls don't b miffed. Too much reality here.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 27 Mar 2016 06:48

Sanjay Kumar: " not less than 1000 of your hard earned money" will go to Red Cross (burden). The rest will be the burden of the cross of those who are the "overhead".

I owe them a debt-they helped us out once, sure didn't ask my religion or look at my colour.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 27 Mar 2016 21:16

Good to know. I do donate but I also donate more to local initiatives though. For example in our town they have closed a homeless shelter indefinitely due to funding problems. "Think globally act locally" will help in this case. Neither do I look at whether I am donating to a church or "empty tomb".

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 31 Mar 2016 03:02

Does India like Donald Trump? He hasn't slammed them... yet
http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/29/politics/ ... index.html

New Delhi (CNN)— Most Indians -- about a sixth of the world's population -- have never heard of Donald Trump. But that may be about to change, at least a little.If you walk past any roadside magazine stand here in New Delhi you may see a reddish-orange face peering out at you, printed prominently on the fronts of Indian publications.Just recently, two of India's top English-language weeklies ran cover stories on the U.S. elections. Outlook magazine's cover "Donald Trump: American Nightmare" had a caricature of a grimacing, enraged Trump dominating the full page. "Loud. Brash. Divisive. Insensitive. Xenophobic." it declared. Open magazine had a blue-tinted Hillary Clinton pitted against a red-colored Donald Trump. "The American Scream," blared the coverIt's the world's biggest democracy meeting the world's greatest election.Krishna Prasad, the editor of Outlook, says Indian magazines often put American presidents on their covers but it's rare to give a mere candidate that treatment, especially with seven months left to election day."For us Trump was an excuse to put a mirror in front of Indians," he says, pointing to what he sees as parallels between the rise of Trump and the election of Narendra Modi as India's Prime Minister in 2014. "Both were outsiders, and both ran on a demonstrable record of getting things done," says Prasad. "Modi and Trump tapped into the angst of the people. Trump's racist comments mirror things that have been said here as well," he adds, pointing to recent comments by ruling-party parliamentarians on Islam.
Nothing projects Brand Trump louder than a gleaming new building towering over India's slums. There are two officially branded Trump Towers in India, both on the country's western coast -- in the cities of Pune and Mumbai.I spoke with Prashant Bindal, the Chief Sales officer of the Lodha Group, which is building Trump Towers Mumbai. Trump Mumbai is not owned by Trump. According to Bindal, Trump's role is primarily to lend his name to the towers, a franchise deal where the Lodha Group can use Trump's logos and designs. "We have the classic Trump golden façade, the club, the services -- it stands out," says Bindal.A standard 1,300 square foot, two-bedroom Trump Mumbai apartment is currently selling for $1.5 million. It's a similar story in Pune, where Trump Tower apartments are attracting a 30% premium over the market. Writing in Outlook, the builder of Trump Towers Pune describes how he met The Donald himself in 2014, on his first visit to India. "Trump sees huge business potential in India ... his business dealings are great. His politics will be even better." Trump's association with India predates his buildings here: the businessman has long recognized the power of one of India's top brands. As far back as 1990 he opened Trump Taj Mahal, a garish Atlantic City casino and resort inspired by the 17th century Indian mausoleum of the same name.Trump the candidate has been bashing China, lashing out at Mexico, declaring how he will carpet bomb ISIS hideouts in the Middle East ... but on India, he has spoken little. When he has, it's been surprisingly positive, telling CNN's Wolf Blitzer recently that "India is doing great ... (but) no one talks about India." And yet, as Indians learn more about Trump they will see a side of the GOP frontrunner they may find hurtful.
Mihir Joshi, a musician and talk show host who lives in Mumbai, told CNN that he would not feel safe traveling to America."I have a beard, I have dark skin, I could be mistaken for a Muslim and what, every time I enter America I have to prove I'm not a Muslim? How do you go about that? When you hear some of the things he says it does sound like he's a fascist."The paradox of why Americans are so polarised in their opinions on Trump are mirrored in India too: Indians also look up to Trump. "Trump evokes all kinds of feelings in India," says Prasannarajan of Open magazine. "He evokes admiration too. Indians admire his popularity, his success, his wealth. Indians aren't impacted by the Mexican border -- they are more taken by the idea of a strong leader who isn't always politically correct."As the Republican field for the presidential nomination narrows, India is waking up to the story of America's elections. Trump the man, candidate, and brand now has more exposure than ever before. In that sense, the American experience may just be a microcosm of a larger global project -- extending the brand to the farthest reaches of the planet, in the fastest growing economies of the world.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 31 Mar 2016 03:05

Signing of India-US defence agreements: Defence Ministry has a few questions
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/ ... questions/

Both US and Indian officials told The Indian Express that progress on the agreements would be on top of the agenda during US Defence Secretary Ash Carter’s visit to India in April. US officials said “both sides are working on them but there are still outstanding issues”.The LSA is seen as the most likely among the three agreements to be signed by the two sides. According to US officials, LSA facilitates the provision of logistical support, supplies and services between the US military and armed forces of partner countries on a reimbursable basis, and provides a governing framework for exchange of such logistics support.Senior Indian officials said signing the LSA could lead to complications because of the situation in the Middle East. A large number of Indians work in these countries. If the US were to get involved there and India was bound to provide logistics support to the US military, it could endanger their lives.Indian officials feel that signing these agreements would lock the country in an irreversible strategic partnership with the US, which is focused on countering the Chinese threat in the region. India, they said, does not wish to be seen as a strategic ally of the US against China. The officials also pointed to the US decision to sell eight F-16 fighters to Pakistan. “How can the US be a partner of both Pakistan and us at the same time?” a senior official asked.US has been insistent on India signing the agreements for a decade now.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 31 Mar 2016 03:11

Jhujar, Looks like a bunch of Congtards in the media carrying on blow to Modi against Trump!!!!

All those magazines are run by #AdarshLiberal editors.

MurthyB · Post by **MurthyB** » 31 Mar 2016 03:12

So I have a friend whose gora colleague asked him at work who he would vote for if he could. My friend, in his thick accent, said it would be Dohnaald Trump because he's the only one promising to not raise SS wages. The gora was mighty offended by that and tried to convince him why Sanders should win, to which my friend was totally unconvinced, even declaring that SS meant nothing as he would retire in India anyway. Could see the gora guy knashing his teeth and probably muttering about "darned immigrants" but he can't becoz he's progressive and Trump supporters who would want us SDREs go back get this guy's vote though. Total mindf&*k.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 31 Mar 2016 04:05

ramana wrote:Jhujar, Looks like a bunch of Congtards in the media carrying on blow to Modi against Trump!!!!
All those magazines are run by #AdarshLiberal editors.

Trai letter word CNN says it all.

Melwyn · Post by **Melwyn** » 01 Apr 2016 22:02

G PARTHASARATHY says so.

Whatever the outcome, India can expect a more mutually beneficial relationship with the US.

Trump, Hillary, and the US elections

I highly doubt it. Shillary like her groper hubby will do nothing for India-US relations infact she might be more of a headache than the pain in the bottom like bamba.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 02 Apr 2016 00:03

http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2016-pulse-crops/
Peas on the Prairie Destined for New Delhi
Indian appetites are changing the U.S. crop mix

The biofuels industry and the Chinese economy are stagnant, which is weighing on demand and prices for U.S. corn and soy. And India, an emerging buyer with a huge appetite for pulses, is beginning to assert itself on the world food market. “The next couple decades could belong to India,” says Erik Norland, an economist with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. “It will have a real impact on what farmers choose to grow and on what the world eats.” India’s annual food imports have risen 61 percent since 2010, to $22.6 billion, and there’s more room to grow. Its population is expanding at a rate of 1.2 percent per year, compared with 0.7 percent for the U.S. Indians eat 17 percent fewer calories per day than the world average, a deficit that Norland projects will shrink as the nation becomes more prosperous and imported food becomes more abundant and affordable. Led by India, global demand for U.S.-grown pulses reached $702 million last year, more than double that of a decade ago. Pulses won’t overtake traditional American cash crops anytime soon, if ever: In 2015, U.S. farmers dedicated 88 million acres to corn production and less than 2 million acres to peas and lentils. That’s partly because legumes require higher maintenance when it comes to controlling insects and weeds, so massive acreage becomes labor-intensive. Still, with corn and soy at less than half their peak prices, the economics of growing pulses is becoming more attractive. “The more demand we have, the more consistent the market becomes, the easier it is to convince farmers to grow them,” Anderson says.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 02 Apr 2016 01:24

The only reason I can see voting for Trump is his idea to ban Muslims entry, else he is just a clown mouthing how he wants to make America great again. He does not have an ideological stance on anything. He will blurt one day and reverse it the next. It is a commentary on the state of affairs that he is a leading candidate.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 02 Apr 2016 04:41

The really terrifying prospect is that the donkeys are realizing that they can get a whole "backlash" of voters coming out just to vote for the NOTRUMP.

Trump is the Manchurian Candidate for Hillary!

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 02 Apr 2016 06:17

amitkv wrote:G PARTHASARATHY says so.

Whatever the outcome, India can expect a more mutually beneficial relationship with the US.

Trump, Hillary, and the US elections

I highly doubt it. Shillary like her groper hubby will do nothing for India-US relations infact she might be more of a headache than the pain in the bottom like bamba.

Only bean counting. Foreign policy is trajectory is set by CIA and think tanks. Any president, dem or re, only does some minor adjustment over the trajectory. So not much is going to change from India's PoV. I think most likely Hilary is next president and although this buffoon is having his 15 minutes of fame, he has no chance. Hilary is bad news for India IMO because of her activist role, and "South Asia" is a lab for every pipsqueak activist in the west to show off their credentials. And with the enormous power of US presidency at her disposal, she can be a pain in India's arse without of course compromising US national interests. For e.g., Daleeets, woman's rights etc; and her activism on these kinds of issues will find broad support in India itself.

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 02 Apr 2016 07:47

UlanBatori wrote:The really terrifying prospect is that the donkeys are realizing that they can get a whole "backlash" of voters coming out just to vote for the NOTRUMP

And that's where restrictive voter id laws, reduced booths, reduced early voting, reduced voting times, restricting voters being bussed in etc all help deter the democrat voters - who tend to be working poor and can't take too much time off.

The conservative majority scotus facilitated this by removing the civil rights era voting rights act - which made it hard for states to put up such voter restriction laws (like poll tax etc).

This crap along with citizens United, gerrymandering etc makes US the most undemocratic nation among the developed and even developing nations.

Neshant · Post by **Neshant** » 02 Apr 2016 08:20

Its already obvious that the entire nomination process is rigged to select establishment candidates and give the vast hoard of people the illusion that they have selected a leader.

Who doubts that Trump will be pushed out of the way towards the end by some "committee" of private corporation & banks. Meanwhile the corporate media will start shilling for the establishment candidate while trying to provide cover for the rigged selection which they will pass off as the people's choice.

Democracy is little more than a sham.

The best kind of democracy is the one which India has. Many little parties which nobody can control which represent their local units. The moment you get to two large parties, its nothing more than an invitation for the politicians to be bought off by large corporations, banks.. etc.

arun · Post by **arun** » 02 Apr 2016 16:01

X Posted from the Islamism thread.

SSridhar wrote:China's move to block ban against Azhar came just before deadline

The US does unto France what China did to India.

US censors comment of French President François Hollande on Mohammadden Terrorism made during a Nuclear Security Summit meeting with US President Obama and advisers. Video released by Whitehouse purges reference to Mohammadden Terrorism. Reference to Mohammadden Terrorism was purged from Hollande’s comment that “the roots of terrorism, Islamist terrorism, is in Syria and in Iraq”:

White House censors video to remove ‘Islamic terrorism’ quote

Our Prime Minister Modi’s message has certainly not got through:

End attitude of ‘his terrorist not mine’, PM Narendra Modi says in US

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 02 Apr 2016 20:33

and "South Asia" is a lab for every pipsqueak activist in the west to show off their credentials.

If this is not taqiya in another language/protocol, then what is? In case of USCIRF, the org is mandated to investigate human rights only outside USA, not within! The act was passed by US senate by mentioning UN universal human rights but universal human rights does not mandate ignoring record keeping of internal human rights issues.

It is like how people talking about US-India good weapon sales suddenly jump on some issue mentioned by Philip Sir, but show no inclination to add a single bit to issues faced by USA within and world wide, and making it appear that Philip sir is posting 'controversial' onlee. Notice how there is total silence on 'secularism' after about decade long debates when India and USA seem to be actually talking something serious.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 04 Apr 2016 02:11

US Defence Secretary Carter coming to seal foundational pacts.

India-US defence ties might undergo a paradigm shift with the visit of US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter here on April 10 even as both sides are poised to sign the much-awaited military foundational agreements.

Inking of the three foundational agreements — Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) — between India and US is going to be topmost on Secretary Carter's agenda.

With the impending US Presidential elections, this is going to be Carter's last visit to India in his present capacity. Under the Obama administration, US-India defence co-operation reached the next level with US military exports reaching over $14 billion last fiscal and establishment of a bilateral Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) in 2012.

However, the US had been insisting on signing the three foundational pacts with India to enable greater technology transfer and easy flow of investments from American defence firms into India.

But India had been not much forthcoming in signing these because of widespread apprehensions that it might give America access to the country's sensitive defence information. There are also some who believe these pacts will empower US to coerce India into taking part in NATO's operations, according to the Ministry of Defence officials.

“This is consequential time for India-US defence ties. This may be Carter's final visit to Delhi as Secretary of Defence. As the most pro-India secretary in recent memory, people will look to see if his strong support for the partnership yields positive results. If progress can't be clearly seen, the next US administration may not devote as much focus to India," Ben Schwartz, Director - Defence and Aerospace, US-India Business Council (USIBC).

Schwartz said the foundational pacts are basically aimed at enhancing greater technology transfer and joint military collaboration and exercises.

Recently, the US government also passed the coveted US-India Defence Technology and Partnership Act (HR 4825), a rare status given to America's primary military allies.

Melwyn · Post by **Melwyn** » 04 Apr 2016 08:32

^@Vipul , please out the verbatim text from articles in quotes.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 04 Apr 2016 08:37

http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/raNURFp ... order.html
India’s rise and global order
William J. Burns

The foundations of global order seem increasingly unsteady. The intensity of upheavals in the Middle East, Europe’s ongoing crisis and great power competition in the Asia-Pacific is matched only by the transformational forces rocking the global economy, climate, cyberspace and other transnational domains.Tempting though it may be, we don’t have the luxury of holding our breath and waiting for this moment of disorder to pass. The principal strategic task for the US—and its partners—is to channel these forces and help shape international circumstances before other forces and events shape them for us.This should be the animating purpose of the strategic partnership between the US and India. India’s rise is as significant a feature of today’s international landscape as any other. The same is true of its partnership with the US—between two of the world’s largest democracies, two of the world’s largest economies and two countries that for the first time have a deep stake in each other’s success.Thanks to sustained—and these days tragically rare—bipartisan consensus in both countries, and sustained efforts by both leaderships, the depth and breadth of today’s partnership would have been unthinkable two decades ago.In the security realm, after years of “non-alignment”, India looks to the US as its largest defence supplier and both engage in more bilateral military exercises than either does with any other country. In the economic realm, bilateral and people-to-people ties are growing tighter by the day. Two decades ago, two-way trade was at $8 billion a year. Today, it is on the verge of $100 billion. From Silicon Valley to Bengaluru and Wall Street to Mumbai, Indians and Americans are making a profound impact on one another and in the world.For all the good news stories, both leaderships recognize that much work remains if we are to realize the full promise of this partnership. Ambitious bilateral goals—whether it is reaching $500 billion annually in two-way trade, working towards a free trade agreement, or fully integrating India into the broader Asian economic architecture—are necessary, but not sufficient.

The real value of the partnership will come when both nations begin to view the other as indispensable for resolving the challenges at the core of today’s global disorder.The essential prerequisite to taking this leap is India’s own economic revitalization. Washington can contribute towards this outcome by providing capital, technology and expertise, but what New Delhi does for itself will matter far more in comparison.If India’s economic success is substantial and sustainable, much is possible. This begins with the Indo-Pacific, where together the US and India can help build a regional order that protects convergent values and interests, starting with stronger engagement with Japan, Australia and the smaller South-East Asian states. Beyond the Indo-Pacific, India plays a critical role in nearly every region and issue of consequence—from the future of democracy to nuclear non-proliferation, great power politics to climate, and the impact of technological innovation on international affairs. In each of these areas and others, a common approach will be critical to enhancing the value of the strategic partnership.For all the historic achievements of the past decade, it is the decade to come that will demonstrate whether the shared strategic bet made in Washington and New Delhi will yield joint benefits and deliver on the two countries’ shared vision for the Pacific Century.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 04 Apr 2016 08:56

^^^^^^^

Flawed definitions and the religious zeal to outsource solutions of failed US policies to the heathens.

It should be US body bags for US mistakes, not some pyscho babble claptrap to slyly substitute US body bags with others.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 04 Apr 2016 09:15

Jhujar wrote:http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/raNURFp ... order.html
India’s rise and global order
William J. Burns
...Two decades ago, two-way trade was at $8 billion a year. Today, it is on the verge of $100 billion. From Silicon Valley to Bengaluru and Wall Street to Mumbai, Indians and Americans are making a profound impact on one another and in the world.For all the good news stories, both leaderships recognize that much work remains if we are to realize the full promise of this partnership. Ambitious bilateral goals—whether it is reaching $500 billion annually in two-way tra[/b]de, working towards a free trade agreement, or fully integrating India into the broader Asian economic architecture—are necessary, but not sufficient.

The real value of the partnership will come when both nations begin to view the other as indispensable for resolving the challenges at the core of today’s global disorder....a common approach will be critical to enhancing the value of the strategic partnership.For all the historic achievements of the past decade, it is the decade to come that will demonstrate whether the shared strategic bet made in Washington and New Delhi will yield joint benefits and deliver on the two countries’ shared vision for the Pacific Century.

Yeah, yeah...India has it's leader. Now elect Trump, and let's sort this shyte out.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 04 Apr 2016 10:26

U.S. Act to ‘institutionalise’ defence, trade ties with India - Dinakar Peri, The Hindu

The US-India Defence Technology and Partnership Act, which was introduced in the U.S. Congress a couple of weeks ago, would “institutionalise” the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) framework between the two countries and the Indian-specific cell in the Pentagon, a senior U.S. Defence official said.

The resolution was introduced by Congressman George Holding, Co-Chair of the House Caucus intended to amend the U.S. Arms Export Control Action to formalise India’s status for the purpose of Congressional notifications as a major partner of equal status as America’s treaty allies and closest partners. The U.S.-India Business Council played a major role in pushing the resolution forward.

“It will institutionalise what we are doing with DTTI and the India Rapid Reaction Cell (IRRC). In fact, IRRC is specifically mentioned in this Act,” Duncan Lange, who heads the India Rapid Reaction Cell (IRRC) in the Pentagon, told The Hindu. .

He noted that the resolution had not been passed yet, but there was a lot of support for that. “India is a bipartisan thing,” Mr. Lange said.

The IRRC is the only country-specific cell in the Pentagon and functions under the office of the Under Secretary of Defence Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. It was set up in January 2015 with a six-member team which, officials said, is indicative of the importance attached to deepening strategic cooperation with India.

The IRRC was the initiative of U.S. Defence Secretary Ash Carter, also the key architect of the DTTI, launched in 2012 to deepen high-technology cooperation and move towards co-development and co-production of high technology platforms.

Mr. Lange explained that rather than the cell being the initiative of one Secretary, the Act would make it a permanent process. “We are going to be changing governments soon. So whatever happens, the progress we made here should go on.”

Speaking on the progress of the projects under the DTTI, Mr. Lange said a project agreement had been signed in August last year for two of the four pathfinder projects — mobile electric hybrid power sources and uniform integrated protection ensemble (nuclear, biological and chemical protection suits for soldiers).

Obviously, further progress in DTTI was contingent upon India signing the three remaining foundational agreements, LSA, CISMOA, and BECA. During Manohar Parrikar’s visit to the US in December 2015, India and the US came close to signing the LSA. The introduction of the bill in the Congress is probably a result of that understanding and coincides with Ash Carter's visit to India for signing the agreements. Whether DTTI would take-off remains to be seen.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 04 Apr 2016 11:20

^^^^^^^

obama and his admin will have nothing to show if they don't do this.

Imagine, an amreki offer of this magnitude and the heathens are saying no!!

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 04 Apr 2016 11:25

India has strengthened its ties with Burma, the Philippines, and Thailand, but more importantly it is working with Vietnam and Japan to check China’s increasing domination of the South China Sea.
In this it has a new ally, albeit one it keeps at arm’s length – the United States. For decades India was suspicious that the Americans were the new British, but with a different accent and more money. In the twenty-first century a more confident India, in an increasingly multipolar world, has found reason to co-operate with the USA. When President Obama attended the 2015 Indian Republic Day military parade, New Delhi took care to show off its shiny new US-supplied C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft as well as its Russian-supplied tanks. The two giant democracies are slowly moving closer together.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 04 Apr 2016 11:38

>>an amreki offer of this magnitude

What is the offer? Essentially to buy their products faster, and while we are at it, sign here and here to ensure that we don't have to sanction you later.

Nothing wrong with that, in essence. Basically it's the nature of the game in the vastly asymmetric military-industrial complexes that the two countries contain, and the urgency of our needs.

But it is important to recognise what is happening for what it is. They are not doing us a favour. They are doing us a service for which we are paying handsomely, and reducing some aspects of our military autonomy in the process while enhancing it in others; they are only increasing their autonomy. Not a bad deal from their point of view. From ours, it is what we have to do if we want what we want. And we do. Like I said, the urgency of need, because the world in our neighbourhood is changing fast. Delicate balance.

If I'm going to trust any government to play it as per civilisational strategic interest, it is this one. Not that the others have played too badly thus far.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 04 Apr 2016 15:48

Saurav Jha ‏@SJha1618
An old Pentagon simulation assessed that America would need around 900 Tomahawk Cruise Missiles to disable key Indian military nodes.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 04 Apr 2016 15:49

Saurav Jha ‏@SJha1618
Now that Obama has conveyed his two minutes of preachy nuclear hypocrisy to India, it is time to test the Agni-V.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 04 Apr 2016 15:50

The gaajar of engines, carriers and more being used to hoodwink namo and stall strategic programs like agni5, MIRV, next gen n designs and bmd

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 04 Apr 2016 15:51

Even upa did not fall for this, they were better in this Dept despite being ineffective on many fronts

Vivek K · Post by **Vivek K** » 04 Apr 2016 19:55

Dems are traditionally NPA ayatollahs and usually not good for India. At this time, chances for a change in parties at the helm in the US may not look good!

arun · Post by **arun** » 04 Apr 2016 20:27

Singha wrote:Saurav Jha ‏@SJha1618
Now that Obama has conveyed his two minutes of preachy nuclear hypocrisy to India, it is time to test the Agni-V.

The preachy comment where the US President Barack Obama does an equal=equal and takes a swipe both at the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ramping up holdings of Tactical Nuclear Weapons and India for the Cold Start and Triad(?) Doctrines :

The other area where I think we’d need to see progress is Pakistan and India, that subcontinent, making sure that as they develop military doctrines, that they are not continually moving in the wrong direction.

Above from the US Whitehouse website here:

Press Conference by President Obama, 4/1/2016

Meanwhile our Ministry of External Affairs had this to say about the US doing an equal=equal via their President:

In response to a question on President Obama's remarks at the Nuclear Security Summit Press Conference on India and Pakistan's military doctrines, the Official Spokesperson said:

Yes, we have seen those remarks. There seems to be a lack of understanding of India’s defence posture. Conventionally, India has never initiated military action against any neighbour. We also have a no-first use nuclear weapons policy. Since the context was the Nuclear Security Summit, the President’s own remark that ‘expanding nuclear arsenals in some countries, with more small tactical nuclear weapons which could be at greater risk of theft’ sums up the focus of global concern.

Above from the MEA website here:

Official Spokesperson's response to question regarding President Obama's remarks at the Nuclear Security Summit Press Conference on India and Pakistan's military doctrines