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Washington:
US Senator Marco Rubio on Thursday introduced a bill in Congress that proposes to treat India on par with its allies such as Japan, Israel, Korea and NATO allies regarding technology transfers, support India in its response to growing threats to its territorial integrity and prevent Pakistan from receiving security assistance if it is found to have sponsored terrorism against India.
“Communist China continues to aggressively expand its dominance in the Indo-Pacific region while seeking to impede the sovereignty and autonomy of our regional partners. It is crucial that the U.S. continues to support the fight against these malicious tactics. India, along with other nations in the region, is not alone,” Rubio said after introducing the U.S.-India Defense Cooperation Act in the Senate.
To strengthen our partnership with India, it is essential that we increase our strategic relationship with New Delhi.
Introduced a bill to better support India as it continues to face aggression from communist China.https://t.co/QVF1gU7TqP
– Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) July 25, 2024
Given the short notice of a bitterly divided Congress in an election year, the bill is unlikely to make much progress, but it could be reintroduced in the next Congress, given that there is a bipartisan level of support for the India-US relationship. The bill notes that the U.S.-India partnership is vital to countering the influences of communist China. To strengthen this partnership, it is essential to improve our strategic diplomatic, economic and military relationship with New Delhi, he says.
Among other things, the bill would establish a Statement of Policy that the United States will support India in responding to growing threats to its territorial integrity, provide necessary security assistance to India to deter adversaries, and cooperate with India in which concerns defense, civil space, technology, medicine and economic investments.
When passed into law, it would provide a limited exemption to India from CAATSA sanctions for purchases of Russian equipment that is currently used by the Indian military and would establish direction in Congress for the rapid consideration of certifications of offer letters to sell defense articles, defense services, design and construction services, and important defense equipment for India is consistent with U.S. interests and it is in the interests of peace and stability that India have the capabilities necessary to deter threats.
It proposes treating India as if it had the same status as US allies such as Japan, Israel, Korea and NATO allies when it comes to technology transfers; authorize the Secretary of State to enter into a memorandum of understanding with India to increase military cooperation; expedite excess defense articles to India for two years and grant India the same status as other allies; and expand international cooperation in military education and training with New Delhi.
Requires a report to Congress on Pakistan’s use of offensive force, including through terrorism and proxy groups, against India; and bar Pakistan from receiving security assistance if it is found to have sponsored terrorism against India.
This is the first time such an India-centric bill has been introduced in the US Congress that proposes to put India on par with its treaty ally, exempt it from CAATSA sanctions and impose sanctions on Pakistan for promoting terrorism in India.
(Except the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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