Opinion: The Biden Years – Telangana Today

India-US relations under Biden have moved into a new era of mature, multifaceted cooperation.

TO Dr. Areeba Ahsanath Moazzam, Akhil Kumar, Anudeep Gujeti

As the United States elects a new president, it is an opportune time to reflect on the growing engagement between India and the US over the past four years under President Joseph Biden. Although India is barely mentioned in election campaigns, the relationship enjoys bipartisan consensus across the political spectrum in both countries and remains strong regardless of election results. Over the past three decades, the relationship has deepened and flourished under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

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In the years since the Cold War, the two aloof democracies have transformed into engaged democracies and strengthened their ties in the areas of technology, shared geopolitical interests, defense and other key strategic areas, especially regarding the Indo-Pacific region. In American diplomacy aimed at countering or counterbalancing China’s rise in the region, India is a strategic partner of the United States. Mutual cooperation between the oldest and largest democracies in the world is of interest not only to the citizens of these countries, but also to the states of the Indo-Pacific region.

Some of the key strategic areas where India and the US have collaborated and strengthened ties are defense and technology, Indo-Pacific strategy, and immigration and talent exchange. The effects of the pandemic that began in 2020 have continued into 2021, during the Biden presidency. This period also marked the unilateral withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the beginning of two major conflicts – the Russian-Ukrainian war in Europe and the Israeli-Hamas war in West Asia. These events caused significant disruption to supply chains, causing a ripple effect throughout the global economy. Throughout this tumultuous phase of global politics, the resilience of Indo-US relations has been tested as both countries have faced unprecedented challenges.

Defense and technology

Since the end of the Cold War, the main pillar maintaining the dynamics of Indo-US ties has been the growing defense relationship. Under Obama’s presidency, India was designated a major defense partner by the US and was upgraded to Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) under Donald Trump’s presidency. Undoubtedly, one of the cornerstones of the Biden presidency in strengthening bilateral ties between India and the US has been the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), launched in January 2023. This initiative aims to strengthen cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and defense technology. It will also enhance India’s national capacity to expand sectors such as semiconductors and jet engines.

The significance of this is enormous: it represents a key strategic step for India to modernize its military and defense capabilities. For the United States, this is a critical partnership that can counterbalance China’s technological and military rise in the Indo-Pacific region. India, traditionally dependent on Russian defense imports during the Cold War, has diversified its defense partnerships with various countries since the early 1990s, with the US becoming one of its largest suppliers. From Apache helicopters to advanced drones, these agreements highlight India’s growing dependence on American military equipment.

Biden has built on India’s growing global influence, especially on issues such as climate change.

But the relationship goes beyond purchases: India is interested in developing its own defense technology capabilities. By facilitating collaboration between Indian startups and US firms, the two countries are laying the foundation for joint innovation in advanced defense technologies. In June 2023, an agreement was signed between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and GE Aerospace to produce fighter engines for the Indian Air Force, ending a regime of technology denial that began after India’s nuclear tests at Pokhran in 1998. Prime Minister Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Washington resulted in a landmark deal in which the US, for the first time, agreed to transfer sensitive military technologies to India that were not even offered to its alliance partners.

Indo-Pacific Strategy

A defining feature of Biden’s foreign policy in Asia has been the continuity of the revival of the Quad, the four-way security dialogue launched by Donald Trump and consisting of the United States, India, Japan and Australia. With China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, the Quad has become a critical forum for promoting a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” Although some dismiss the Quartet as merely symbolic, its importance lies in the convergence of strategic interests. India, with its geographic location and military capabilities, is seen as the core of this alliance.

In 2022, they (Quad) introduced the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) to provide regional partners with accessible, real-time maritime information. Recently, in the Wilmington Declaration, the Quad countries announced a new program called the Maritime Training Initiative in the Indo-Pacific Region (MAITRI), which will help partners better utilize the tools offered by IPMDA and other Quad initiatives. In addition, it became known that the coast guards of the United States, Japan, Australia and India will conduct their first joint “Quad-at-Sea Ship Surveillance Mission” in 2025, aimed at enhancing maritime security and improving maritime cooperation.

Biden and Modi

While Biden and Modi may not share the personal camaraderie that characterizes Modi’s relationship with Donald Trump, their partnership is marked by mutual respect and pragmatism. Biden is building on India’s growing global influence, especially on issues such as climate change, where both countries have pledged to lead international efforts under the India-US Climate and Clean Energy Partnership 2030. This partnership reflects not only a commitment to reducing carbon emissions, but also cooperation in clean energy technologies, an area in which both countries see economic and strategic benefits.

Economically, Biden’s India policy has been pragmatic rather than ideological. Despite some disagreements, especially over trade imbalances, Biden has taken a softer stance compared to Trump’s aggressive tariffs. Both countries continue to address issues related to market access and intellectual property, with trade and investment growing in sectors such as technology and pharmaceuticals.

A key issue that has also emerged under Biden is the approach to immigration, especially the H-1B visa program, which affects thousands of Indian professionals. The Biden administration has taken a more favorable approach to easing restrictions on skilled immigration, a stark contrast to Trump’s crackdown on work visas.

Mature strategic partnership

Over the years, Biden and Modi’s relationship was built not on spectacle, but on substantive cooperation. Defense and technology partnerships have expanded significantly, while shared geopolitical challenges such as a belligerent China have brought India and the US closer together in the Indo-Pacific region.

As both countries continue to navigate the complexities of global geopolitics, this partnership looks set to deepen further, bringing mutual strategic benefits beyond the immediate. Biden’s steady hand and Modi’s strategic outlook have quietly but decisively moved India-US relations into a new era of mature, multifaceted cooperation.

(Dr. Areeba Ahsanath Moazzam is Associate Professor, School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, Voxen University. Akhil Kumar holds a PhD from the Department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad. Anudeep Gujeti is Associate Professor, Center of Excellence in Geopolitics and International Studies, Rewa University, Bangalore)