Defense Cooperation: U.S.-India Centerpiece

Recent months have seen some slowdown in the overall U.S.-India relationship, principally due to trade and investment-related concerns. However, defense cooperation remains a bright spot. In fact, over the past year, defense cooperation has become a centerpiece of the U.S.-India relationship. The “Joint Declaration on Defense Cooperation” issued by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in September reaffirmed this, as the U.S. agreed to grant India the same privileges typically reserved for its closest allies with respect to defense trade, technology transfer, and co-production and co-development.
 
In this month’s U.S.-India Insight, we examine the current status and future potential of bilateral defense cooperation, with a focus on the key challenges that remain.

Oliver Backes and Karl F. Inderfurth