Washington: Senator Mark Warner, the co-chair of the India caucus, has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to the US is a moment to cement India-America ties into a “full-fledged partnership”, stressed that India’s time has arrived, and announced that he will introduce a legislation this week to include India in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato)+5 arrangement to boost defence ties between the two countries and overcome bureaucratic obstacles.
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Warner, who is also the chair of the Senate intelligence committee, making him one of the most influential figures on the Hill, said that China posed a challenge to both India and the US in a variety of ways and Delhi and Washington DC needed to find more common ground. He added that he was also looking forward to having conversations with Modi on the initiative on critical and emerging technologies (iCET) and expanding India-US ties in the fields of telecom and wireless technologies, semiconductors, synthetic biology, artificial intelligence, and more.
In a briefing for a select group of reporters, Warner, who was a part of a high-powered Congressional delegation that visited India this February led by Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, said that he was struck by the confidence in India, among government officials, businesses, and even the poor. “India’s time has arrived as a great nation, as truly one of the greatest nations in the world,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}In a briefing for a select group of reporters, Warner, who was a part of a high-powered Congressional delegation that visited India this February led by Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, said that he was struck by the confidence in India, among government officials, businesses, and even the poor. “India’s time has arrived as a great nation, as truly one of the greatest nations in the world,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}On defence ties, Warner said, “Along with Senator John Cornyn, my co-chair at the Indian Caucus, I will be introducing this week both as a standalone bill and as an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act an effort to upgrade India-US defense ties. What we propose is adding India to the so-called Nato-plus-five arrangement, where the US is able to transfer with this little bureaucratic interference as possible defence equipment in a very strong way.” Pointing out that the US and Nato had this arrangement with only a select group of countries, Warner said adding India would strengthen “incredibly important defence ties, particularly as we both grapple with challenges in particular around China”.
Read: Defence, technology on agenda as PM Modi begins key US visit
When asked about India’s unwillingness to enter a Nato-type template, Warner said during his recent visit to India in February, he had noted Indian officials seeking improved defence ties. The defence relationship had improved in the past few administrations and had “come to full fruition” under President Joe Biden. “I think our chances of being successful, this year get a little better in light of the Prime Minister’s visit.”
He said that there are more Chinese troops at the India-China border than Russian troops invading Ukraine and he had repeatedly heard the need for improved defence trade ties. Closer ties were the in the “long term best interest of India”, and “longer term best interest of the United States”. “We need India to have a strong, vibrant defence to stand up for its own interest in South Asia, and also be willing to pushback against some of the adventurism of China in the region.”
Read: ‘Modi's US visit to boost bilateral ties, not about China, Russia’: White House
While acknowledging that he, along with others, were disappointed with India’s stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Warner said he understood the history of India-Russia ties. “The more we can advance our defence ties, the more India can rely upon the US as a stable, consistent defence partner, I think that will allow India, more freedom to move away from Russia.” Suggesting that the issue was also “generational”, Warner said that a majority of younger Indians understood that their long-term self interest was in closer ties with the US.