India and the United States: From Estrangement to Natural Partnership

MohdYounes Bhat

India and the United States: From Estrangement to Natural Partnership examines the Indo-US relations since beginning of Independent India. The book gives an extensive, analytical and historical perspective of issues that unfolded and unraveled in the bilateral relationship of India and the USA.

The two countries have succeeded to evade bilateral estrangement in the relationship. India and the US are now moving towards indispensable partnership in the 21 st century. The Cold War obsession has gone and historical hesitation in the relationship has largely been taken away. The two sides are building cooperation in the fields of defense, cyber security, terrorism, space, energy, etc. India is emerging a critical partner for the United States. India promises good economic opportunity for the US companies. Geopolitically India is emerging a good choice to substantiate the US interest in the Asia pacific region and over and above to check the emerging Chinese threat.

However, to develop a true natural partnership the two sides need to move further in the bilateral cooperation. There is ambivalence from both the sides’ vis-à-vis cementing a true natural partnership. The US wants India to reciprocate to its concessions, while as India is still in perusal of securing its strategic autonomy. India needs to offer more openness in its both economic as well as geostrategic fields. At the same time, US needs to offer unilateral concessions without expecting quid pro quo from Indian side. Given the imbalance in the power structure between the two countries, US can afford to offer more in the relationship due to its power advantage as compared to India. Moreover, this unilateral offers will help the US to secure India’s cooperation in the all fields, therefore, is not against its interests.

The book proposes that the two countries need to enlarge their understanding of each other’s concerns. There are many opportunities in the relationship. Both need to move forward and build a true natural partnership. However, US, given its power structure, needs to do more for the benefit of the relationship.

MohdYounes Bhat is Sr. Assistant Professor in Political Science in Higher Education Department, Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir. He joined the department in 2010. Before this, he was working as Guest Lecturer at Department of Law, University of Kashmir. He has worked as NSS Programme Officer for six years at Govt. Degree College Dooru-Anantnag, Kashmir. He is member of advisory board of Manglam-Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Allahabad-India. He has done his MA (Gold Medalist), M.Phil and Ph.D. from Department of Political Science, University of Kashmir. Dr. Younes is a blogger at www.younesbhat.blogspot.in. His publications include: International Relations: An Introduction (2019) and India’s Stable Nuclear Doctrine (ed.) (2017) and has been written many articles in the reputed journals.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

1. Introduction
2. New Partnership in the 21st Century
3. Nuclear Cooperation Heralds New Era
4. Fluctuations and Geopolitics
5. Rejuvenating Bilateral Cooperation

Notes