New era of military ties

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L, Front) meets with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh(R, Front) in New Delhi, capital of India, on July 20, 2009. [Stringer/Xinhua]

More importantly, in July 2005, the two countries decided to upgrade their relationship to "global partnership", and thus ushered in a new era of bilateral military cooperation.

The recent years have witnessed frequent exchanges of high-level military leaders between Washington and New Deli.

Since 2007, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen and other top US generals paid respective visits to New Deli. The two-way military cooperation has been institutionalized and various levels of dialogue mechanisms have been set up.

The two militaries signed a defense cooperation framework in 2005 and the talks for global logistics cooperation are underway.

Joint exercises between the two militaries have grown in scale and frequency.

US arms sale to India has been increasing steadily with more and more advanced weaponry shipped to New Deli, including F-16 and F-18 fighter jets, a Austin-class amphibious transport ship and C-130 cargo planes.

Most recently, the Obama administration in May 2009 approved the sale to India of 8 P-8I maritime patrol aircraft worth 2.1 billion US dollars, the largest US arms transfer to India to date.

Multiple purposes

For policymakers in Washington, closer military relationship with India will serve multiple purposes.

Foremost, Washington regards India as a vital balancing force in Asia, where several emerging powers exist.

Zhao Qinghai, a Chinese international affairs researcher, pointed out that there is a military meaning under Washington's pledge to "help India to become a 21st century world power."

Some US officials have discussed about an idea of an Asian version of NATO, a military alliance among the United States, India, Japan and Australia.

Secondly, overstretched by two wars, the United States obviously hopes to find a new partner like India to share some of its burden across the globe.

Thirdly, the US defense industry could benefit from growing US arms sale to India, which has been vigorously increasing defense procurement.

Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co. are competing for India's plan to buy 126 multi-role fighters, which would be one of the largest arms deals in the world. Clinton's trip to India will bring home some good news for them.

Evan A. Feigenbaum, an expert at Council of Foreign Relations, said explicitly that "India is among the largest potential US defense customers."

However, as a growing power, India is proud of its history and culture, and has its own aspirations and visions, which may not all fit in with US strategic calculations.

India's nonalignment and independent foreign policy is unlikely to change.

Also, India's traditional relations with Russia and other key regional players may require a balance when dealing with the United States and other countries at the same time.

(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2009)