Key Issues Shaping The India-US Relationship In 2024

Today Indian armed forces are operating some of the high-end US weapons systems like Apache helicopters, C-130J Super Hercules, C-17 Globe-master, MQ9B Predator Drones, P-81 Poseidons, Chinooks, MH-60R Seahawks, and M777 ultra-light howitzers.

- Ravi Srivastava

Vibrant & Dynamic

India-US relations have been extremely vibrant and dynamic in nature. Since 01st November 1946 when both countries established formal diplomatic relations, they have experienced many junctures of historic significance. At times carrying opposing views on the common situation. From terming India and its then Prime Minister in the most ‘inappropriate language’ by the US President Nixion and Henery Kissinger in the early 1970s to acknowledging India’s ‘critical global role’, a lot has gone in between. The good part is that the change of sentiments now has a bipartisan consensus in the US. India has witnessed challenges from US policies which are acutely reflected in the US’s Cold War myopia and India’s sensitivity towards non-alignment. The inflection point in the relationship came when India adopted an open market approach in 1991, finally leaving the baggage of a socialist economy behind it. With No classic rivalry left, the US adopted a much more pragmatic global view which has the space for India’s national vision of inclusiveness.

Various pragmatic issues finally connect two independent nations with the geopolitical string. India had the challenge of providing basic necessities to its vast population and it needed to grow its economy which was struggling at the meager annual GDP growth of 5.5 % at the time. Such a growth rate would have not allowed the expansion of enough opportunities or enough vistas of development to offer jobs to the large young population of India. This was the encouragement that India had. While the US, the only global superpower left has geopolitical concerns weighing over it. It wanted a trusted and capable regional power to help it balance out its growing concerns in the region.

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