Top Senator proposes first 100 days action plan for India-US

He believed that there was an opportunity to refresh the Indo-US relationship with the new Indian government

A powerful American Senator has proposed "100 days action plan" for the Modi Government and the Obama Administration to "refresh" the Indo-US relations.

Senator Mark Warner, who is the Democratic Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, has suggested the Modi Government to modify the defense-offset regime, agreeing to build community colleges in India, lifting the foreign direct investment caps in some of the sectors, and announcing a new electronic payment systems.

In the first 100 days of the Modi Government, Waren has proposed to the Obama Administration to name a senior official for defense trade, review tourist visa policies and access to high skill visas.

Among other action plans for the first 100 days, he has advised the Modi Government and the Obama Administration to announce a joint energy project, convene a meeting of India-US Strategic Dialogue, hold bilateral talks on Afghanistan, restart negotiations to achieve a bilateral investment treaty (BIT), re-launch the defense policy group, and establish a public-private working group on infrastructure investment.

"I believe we have an opportunity, in the early days of the new Indian administration, to refresh the US-India relationship and work cooperatively to make progress that will benefit both of our countries," Warner said in a four-page 100-days action plan.

As a co-chair of the US Senate India Caucus for several years, Warner has been working with US and Indian government officials and business leaders to address important issues for both countries, including education, skills development, infrastructure and energy.

"However, over the last 18-24 months, the relationship lacked a catalyst. With this month's historic Indian election, we can harness the enthusiasm of the Indian people to boost our partnership.

"We can use the first 100 days to move from dialogue to action and build a path forward for more ambitious cooperation," he said.

"There are many areas where a partnership between our countries would serve goals on both sides, and if the respective administrations choose just two or three deliverables to shoot for in the first 100 days, we could provide the business community on both sides a new optimism that we can work together and get things done," Warner added.

In his action plan, Warner has proposed that the India-US Strategic Dialogue this year be held in New Delhi, instead of Washington DC as originally scheduled.

"Since the new Indian government will just be getting started, holding the Dialogue in Delhi will be less disruptive to organizing meetings and will provide both sides the opportunity to meet and get to work early in the term on joint initiatives," he said.