During the inaugural U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue in 2009, President Obama identified India as an indispensible partner in shaping a future of security and prosperity for all nations. Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reaffirmed their support for this vision and recognized the instrumental role of a strong bilateral security relationship in confronting common challenges and furthering our shared aims. The two leaders resolved to further strengthen security cooperation, including through expanded dialogues and exercises as well as the sharing of advanced technologies.
Counterterrorism: Counter-terror cooperation is a pillar of the U.S.-India relationship and reflects our increasingly shared outlook and strategic vision. The Homeland Security Dialogue, inaugurated in New Delhi in May, provides a robust framework to expand our counter-terrorism cooperation in a number of areas, including port and border security, megacity policing, and combating illegal finance and counterfeiting. The United States and India held their ninth meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism in March in New Delhi. The United States also strongly supported India’s candidacy for chairing the UN Security Council Counter-terrorism committee, and identified India as a core member of the newly created Global Counterterrorism Forum. The United States and India have called for the elimination of terrorist safe havens and networks in Afghanistan and Pakistan in the interest of regional security and stability.
Maritime Security: U.S.-Indian maritime security was codified in the Indo-U.S. Framework for Maritime Security Cooperation in 2006. Since then, our two nations have cooperated to address Somalia-based piracy, disaster relief, illicit trafficking in weapons of mass destruction and enhancing maritime domain awareness. The United States welcomed India’s decision to chair a plenary of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia in 2012.
Cyber Security: Our two nations´ governments, businesses and consumers are faced with an increasing variety of cyber threats, and there is a need to further improve computer security readiness. To that end, the United States and India signed on July 18 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between our two nations' Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs). This MOU will improve understanding and exchanges between our countries on the issue of cyber-security and protecting critical national infrastructure from cyber-attacks.
Peacekeeping: Both the United States and India want UN peacekeeping to succeed. Our overriding objective is to ensure peacekeepers work with realistic, achievable mandates, are adequately resourced, and receive the support necessary to ensure their success. In March, the United States and India resumed the Joint Working Group on UN Peacekeeping to help achieve that objective. The two sides agreed in principle to collaborate in eleven areas on this vital global effort.
Defense Cooperation:
Defense cooperation plays a central role in the overall strategic partnership and supported creative and ambitious initiatives to further deepen this cooperation. The United States remains committed to offering India world-class defense platforms and developing a partnership that includes efforts to jointly develop cutting-edge technologies. The recent conclusion of the $4.1 billion deal for C-17 aircraft provides India a strategic airlift and humanitarian response capability unique to region.
