US upgraded strategic-plus relationship with India: Congress

Noting that any long-term strategy for the Indo-Asia-Pacific region must include continued engagement with allies and partners in the region, the US has upgraded strategic-plus relationship with India.
"The US has an upgraded strategic-plus relationship with India based on regional cooperation, space science cooperation and defence cooperation," said a conference of the House and Senate - the two chambers of the US Congress - in a report on the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2016.
Passed by both the House and the Senate, the conference report said the defence relationship between the US and India is strengthened by common commitment of both countries to liberal democracy should continue to expand.

"Further, we welcome the role of the Republic of India in providing security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, and we support the implementation of the US-India Defence Framework Agreement and the India Defense Trade and Technology Initiative," said the report released by the armed services committees of both the House and Senate yesterday.
The conference believed that "any long-term strategy for the Indo-Asia-Pacific region must include continued engagement with allies and partners in the region".
The United States values its alliance with Japan as a cornerstone of peace and security in the region.

It also noted that the alliance between the United States and the South Korea has served as an anchor for stability, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, in the Asia-Pacific region, and around the world.

As a result of the report, the House of Representatives withdrew from the NDAA-2016 its section on India.
The House in its version of the NDAA-2016 bill had expressed the sense of Congress on the defense ties between the US and India based on both countries' common interests and commitments to stability, security and democracy.
The Senate amendment had no similar provision.