US-India Defence Cooperation Act: Senator Marco Rubio moves bill to help India take on China

• The US-India Defence Cooperation Act aims to strengthen India’s military, diplomatic, and economic ties to confront China.
• India would receive the same status as Japan, Israel, Korea, and NATO allies regarding technology transfers.
• The bill proposes a limited exemption for India from CAATSA sanctions for Russian military hardware purchases.
• The US will support India in defence, civil space, technology, medicine, and economic investments to deter adversaries.

The US-India Defence Cooperation Act is a measure that US Republican Senator Marco Rubio announced. Its goal is to strengthen New Delhi’s strategic military, diplomatic, and economic ties to confront China. While attempting to obstruct our regional allies’ sovereignty and autonomy, Communist China is nevertheless forcefully extending its dominion throughout the Indo-Pacific area.

According to the bill, India would be granted the same status as other allies, including Japan, Israel, Korea, and NATO allies, and technology transfers would be treated similarly. The Secretary of State would also be authorised to enter into a memorandum of understanding with India to enhance military cooperation, expedite excess defence articles to India for two years, and expand international military education and training cooperation with New Delhi.

If signed into law, it would grant India a limited exemption from CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions) sanctions for purchases of Russian military hardware. It would also establish a sense in Congress that it is in the interest of India’s peace and stability to have the means to deter threats, and that prompt certification of letters of offer to sell defence articles, defence services, design and construction services, and major defence equipment to India is consistent with US interests. 

The legislation would also set a Statement of Policy that the US will support India in its response to growing threats to its territorial integrity, provide necessary security assistance to India to deter adversaries and cooperate with India concerning defence, civil space, technology, medicine, and economic investments.

It is the first time such an India-centric bill has been introduced in the US Congress that proposes to put India at the same level as its treaty allies.

Prajwal K M