India-US Partnership for Post-Pandemic World : Daily Current Affairs

Relevance: GS-2 : Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora

Key phrases: India-USA Partnership, India-USA Trade Policy Forum, Cooperative Approach

As per Editor’s opinion Democracy is under strain. Social tensions within open societies intensify as citizens question whether their system can deliver for them during this pandemic.
Competitors sense discord and the opportunity to challenge the relevance of democratic nations on the world stage.
The prospect of global conflict is rising, and strategic competition is heating up; the free world feels beset.

Editor (currently president of US-India Business Council) says that we find ourselves at a critical moment of geostrategic and geoeconomic convergence that demands the US and India embrace closer economic cooperation.
He believes these two democracies can demonstrate to the world that they can, proverbially, deliver the goods for their people.
He further says that to pursue shared interests and advance a positive vision of a freer and safer world predicated on fundamental human rights and to succeed in these efforts, we must demonstrate to our people and the world that democracy can secure their well-being and dignity, create a fair and innovative marketplace, and deliver economic growth and good jobs.
Through the pandemic, the US and India have shown remarkable things which can be accomplished when they work together.

This pandemic recovery, however, presents new trials.
Inflation and supply chain woes are shrinking consumers’ buying power, leading them to question the direction of economic policies.
Americans are seeing a dire workforce shortage, shipping delays, and in some cases, empty store shelves.
At the same time, Indians are seeing the prices of essential commodities like fuel, cooking oil, and produce skyrocket.
Some of this is temporary, as the Omicron wave results in many sick workers in crucial fields.
Other root causes, however, are structural and require urgent attention.

To prove that democracies can lead in the post-pandemic world, the US and India must work together to increase supply, bring prices down, and improve economic confidence.
Delhi and Washington need to work together to remove unnecessary barriers to trade and seize the vast opportunities of their commercial relationship — aspiring to achieve $500 billion in bilateral trade in goods and services.
As strategically aligned partners facing shared challenges, the US and India can work to make the free world’s supply chains more robust and resilient through closer cooperation across a range of sectors — including defense, energy, healthcare, and agriculture.

As of 2020, the United States has authorized over $20 billion in defense sales to India.
Through the U.S.-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative, the United States and India work together on co-production and co-development of defense equipment.
The United States and India are also closely coordinating on regional security issues, such as Afghanistan.

The United States and India are partnering to strengthen the global response to COVID-19, on issues ranging from addressing infectious disease outbreaks to strengthening health systems to securing global supply chains.
This cooperation includes voluntary licensing and technology transfer agreements to increase global manufacturing capacity for COVID-19 vaccines, therapies, and conducting clinical trials.

At the Leaders’ Summit on Climate in April, India-USA launched the U.S.-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership to strengthen cooperation on strong actions in the current decade to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and to help each country achieve its respective climate and clean energy goals.
Under the new Agenda 2030 Partnership, the United States and India look forward to launching the new Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue.

This cooperative approach could lead to widespread and impactful benefits for citizens.
We could see lifesaving medical innovations reach patients faster and at a better price point by protecting innovation and avoiding unnecessary regulatory divergence.
Both nations could better secure their borders through a stronger defense partnership and accelerate the energy transition.
In the immediate future, both nations ensure more affordable and reliable access to the goods their people need every day, stretching paychecks for their 1.7 billion consumers and citizens.
Delhi and Washington came to each other’s assistance at moments of crisis, and cooperated to airlift hundreds of millions of free doses of vaccines to low-income countries — generosity that reflects the values and compassion of their people.

The United States and India cooperate on a wide range of diplomatic, economic and security issues, including defense, non-proliferation, regional cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, shared democratic values, counterterrorism, climate change, health, energy, trade and investment, peacekeeping, the environment, education, science and technology, agriculture, space, and oceans
The United States supports India’s emergence as a leading global power and vital partner in efforts to ensure the peace, stability, and growing prosperity and economic inclusion in the Indo-Pacific region.
The United States and India are working to expand cooperation in international organizations.
The United States welcomed India joining the UN Security Council in January 2021 for a two-year term.

With a reinvigorated Quad and a reopened Trade Policy Forum, India-USA has the government channels to pursue these goals.
Now is the time for both governments to begin the hard work of removing the stumbling stones in the commercial relationship and prepare the way for a bilateral trade agreement. That road will be long, and some will call the goal unrealistic.
Leaders can embrace the goal of a bilateral trade agreement as a powerful tool to deliver greater prosperity and opportunity that improves citizens’ lives and proves the case for democracy around the world.

The remarkable history of India and the USA demonstrates that democracies can secure the liberty, safety, and dignity of their people.
Combined with free enterprise, these commitments can build a more prosperous and exciting future for the world.
Politicians, bureaucrats, and companies must work together to prove that democracies continue to deliver and show that the free people of America and India can lead the 21st-century world to even greater opportunities for the pursuit of happiness.

Source: Indian Express, US Department of State

Mains Question:

Q. “Through the pandemic, the US and India have shown the remarkable things they can accomplish when they work together”. Discuss.