India, US ties have attained new momentum: Senators to Obama

Two top US Senators have written to President Barack Obama, saying the Indo-US relationship has enjoyed "new momentum" lately and that they are hopeful his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this month will continue this progress into the next year and beyond.
The letter written by Senators Mark Warner and John Cornyn, dated September 6, was released to the press yesterday.
"The relationship has enjoyed new momentum and attained new milestones following the election of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.
"We are hopeful that your meeting with the Prime Minister in September, and the convening of the first ever US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, will continue this progress into the next year and beyond," the Senators said.

The two Senators said the strategic engagement between the US and India has of late resulted in the renewal of the ten-year Defense Framework Agreement and the adoption of a Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean region.
"Capping this off was the Delhi Declaration of Friendship, which elevated the Strategic Dialogue to the Strategic and Commercial Dialogue.

"We believe this move will help bring our commercial and strategic objectives into closer alignment," wrote Warner and Cornyn, who are co-chairs of the Senate India Caucus, the only country-specific caucus in the US Senate.
Warner and Cornyn said they believe that the Commercial Dialogue will better position the two countries to achieve the shared goal of bilateral trade of USD 500 billion per annum.

"We are also confident that the manufacturing industry will be able to take advantage of US India Investment Initiatives to effectively support our goals of assisting in the development of three Indian cities -- Ajmer, Visakhapatnam and Allahabad - where the United States will be the lead partner," the letter said.
"We believe that the renewable of the ten-year Defense Framework will help guide nations to reach that vision," the letter said.
"Through increased maritime security partnerships, increased personnel exchanges, and engagement in military exercises, the US and India have increased their ability to operate collaboratively," they said.
"We see great promise in continuing to advance this cooperation under the Defense Technology an Trade Initiative, which allows for enhancing maritime technology cooperation, including exploring aircraft carrier technology sharing and design," the Senators told Obama.

"While both countries have achieved successes though Strategic Dialogue, there are numerous other areas where we hope more progress will be made, including finalisation of the US India Bilateral Investment Treaty and a deeper collaboration on stabilisation efforts in Afghanistan," Warner and Cornyn wrote.