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OPINION DECEMBER 15, 2023 | The Indian Eye 10

S&T Initiatives and

the Strategic Advance of

India–US Relations

If defence and security relations are finally on an even keel after many decades of differing
perspectives and priorities on the two sides, it could be said that it is the multi-faceted co-oper-

ation in science and technology that is providing the ballast for a new phase of the relationship

CHERIAN SAMUEL

he successful completion of
another 2+2 dialogue marks
Tone more step in the saga of
Indo-US cooperation. Structured
India–US dialogues have had a long
and checkered history. Economic co-
operation was the initial focus, with
an agreement being signed in 2000
to institute a commercial dialogue
through a financial and economic fo-
rum and a working group on trade.
The first Strategic dialogue was
held from 1 June to 4 June 2010 in
Washington. In US terminology, this
was ostensibly to serve as a capstone
dialogue to assess progress, provide
policy guidance and propose new ar-
eas of cooperation.
Other dialogues operating at that
time were the Counter Terrorism Co-
operation Initiative and the Home-
land Security dialogue. This was sub-
sequently expanded to Strategic and
Commercial Dialogue in 2015 and
consultations were further deepened
with then U.S. Deputy Secretary of
State Antony Blinken also holding
High Level Consultations with then Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in New Delhi in Novem-
India’s Foreign Secretary, S. Jaishan-
kar in December of that year. Thus, ber ahead of the 2+2 dialogue (ANI)
in the initial years, these mechanisms
were focussed on building confidence In the most recent dialogue held on 14 ism. They also pledged to deepen the dialogue process with the Commu-
and trust in each other, and forming November 2023, as per the joint state- defence partnership and strength- nications Compatibility and Security
habits of co-operation. ment issued, the principals declared en counter-terrorism cooperation. Agreement, the Industrial Security
The mechanism attained its pres- their satisfaction with the substantial As regards defence co-operation, Annex, and Basic Exchange and Co-
ent 2+2 format in 2018 to “better progress in transforming India–US the two sides finalised the Security of operation Agreement for Geo-spatial
elevate strategic communication on relations. They reaffirmed the im- Supply Arrangement (SOSA) to en- Cooperation over the last few years.
cross-cutting defence and security is- portance of the India–US Compre- hance both countries’ supply chain in- In a bilateral following the 2+2 di-
sues”. The change in the tone and hensive Global Strategic Partnership, dependence and agreed on the 2023 alogue, Defence Minister Rajnath
tenor of each subsequent dialogue is including the Quad. They discussed Roadmap for US–India Defence Singh and Defence Secretary Lloyd
evident through the Joint Statements developments in the Indo-Pacific, Industrial Cooperation. Signing of Austin discussed the progress of the
released at the end of each dialogue. Middle East, Ukraine, and terror- agreements has been a staple of the Continued on next page... >>

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