The US Congress has cleared the decks for India to become a “major defence partner”, with the Senate overwhelmingly passing the $618-billion American defence budget for 2017.
The 2017 National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), which asks the Defence Secretary and the Secretary of State to take steps necessary to recognise India as America’s major defence partner in a bid to strengthen bilateral security cooperation, was passed earlier by the US House of Representatives by 375- 34 votes and now heads to the White House for President Barack Obama to sign it into law.
“I applaud the inclusion of forward-leaning provisions designed to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation with India, including expanded military-to-military engagement, increased defence trade, and greater cooperation on technological development,” Senator Mark Warner, Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, said in a statement after the Senate passed the bill yesterday by 92 to 7 votes. “As the world’s largest democracy and one with which US strategic interests increasingly align, India is an important partner in promoting economic growth and global security,” said Warner, who will serve as Vice-Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the 115th Congress.