Trisha Ghosh, Pune
The US Congress introduced a new bill on Thursday, which proposes that India be given the same status and privileges as other USA allies such as Israel, Japan, Korea and other NATO allies. Senator Marco Rubio has said that this bill will be important, if passed. It seeks to help India against threats from Pakistan, respond to any national or international threats from China, and to provide technological and defence support.
Rubio has stated that this cooperation between the USA and India will be crucial to managing the aggression displayed by China’s communist state and its geopolitical dominance in the Indo-Pacific in particular. China’s actions continuously obstruct the autonomy and territorial security of many of its neighbours. Thus, providing a strong state like India with the support it needs is paramount. “It’s crucial for the U.S. to continue its support in fighting these unfair tactics,” he said.
At present, there is a high chance that the bill may not get passed this year. This is due to internal divisions in the Congress, coupled with the currently volatile political climate in the USA after President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential elections. However, it may be reintroduced in the Congress next time, as there is a large amount of support for a US-India partnership and cooperation from both political parties in the USA.
One significant aspect of the bill is that there will be a Statement of Policy set in place, which will mandate that the USA provide support to India to help the latter safeguard its ‘territorial integrity’ and develop partnerships and alliances in regard to technology, corporate investments, defence and even civil space.
In addition, this bill and subsequent policies would exempt India from CAATSA sanctions. Simultaneously, it would ensure that India’s trade with countries like Russia for defence equipment and articles always remains in line with US interests. It will also lead to the expansion of military education and cooperation between the two countries.
Also of note is the fact that this bill will provide India with strong support against Pakistan. As per the bill, the US opposes Pakistan’s inclinations towards the usage of force and terrorism. If Pakistan as a state is found to be posing a threat to the sovereignty of India in any way, it may be banned from receiving security aid in the future.
While this bill is the first of its kind and a step towards a proper alliance between the USA and India, it is unclear as of now whether and how this bill will be passed into law.