India, US to be ‘major defence partners’ soon

New Delhi: India and the United States finalised a major agreement that seeks to seal the conferment of the “major defence partner” status on India — just one step short of the final, formal stamp of approval expected to be given by the US Congress some time next week.

A joint statement after an hour-long meeting between a visiting US delegation led by outgoing defence secretary Ashton Carter and a team of Indian officials led by defence minister Manohar Parrikar said: “Today we finalised India’s designation as a ‘Major Defence Partner’ of the United States. The designation... is a status unique to India and institutionalises the progress made to facilitate defence trade and technology sharing with India to a level at par with that of the United States’ closest allies and partners, and ensures enduring cooperation into the future.”

Mr Carter also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in what may be the US official’s last formal meeting with the Indian PM. A top defence ministry source told this newspaper: “The MDP status for India will be unique in the sense that India will then be the only non-Nato country to share this relationship with the US.”

“The biggest implication of this enhanced relationship is that it will be much easier for the US to transfer military technology to India as it will be for India to absorb such knowhow,” the source added.

This was the seventh meeting between Mr Carter and Mr Parrikar, who appear to enjoy a good personal chemistry. On November 30, a US congressional panel had asked Mr Carter and the US secretary of state to take the necessary steps to recognise India as the US’ MDP in order to further enhance bilateral security ties. In its report, the panel had also sought an assessment of the extent to which India possesses capabilities to support and carry out military operations of mutual interest of the two countries.

This latest development marks a logical culmination of a progressive enhancement of military ties between the two nations in recent times. The MDA pact follows three major landmarks — the Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTII), the lifting of the Missile Control Technology Regime curbs on India, which allows it to acquire previously-restricted military technology, and the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement, a logistics facilitating agreement between the armed forces of India and the US.

“Only one area remains to be covered which is the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement. There is a very strong likelihood that BECA will be taken up soon in the Donald Trump administration that will assume office at the White House on January 20,” the source said.

BECA provides for a US military official to be posted in India’s military establishment and reciprocally an Indian military official to be posted at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. to enable easier sharing of sensitive information and data relating to navigation, shipping and anti-piracy, among other issues.