PM Modi’s US Visit: Insulating Ties with Seasoned Diplomacy

The phrase regularly summarising India-US relations has been, “overcoming hesitations of history”. The hesitations hint at the aspects of trust. PM Modi’s scheduled three-day visit to the US on September 21 was marred by ominous signals. Ahead of his visit, the US National Security Council Officials had a closed-door meeting with the Khalistani secessionists along with US Intelligence officers. The meeting initiated by the White House assured them of “protection from any transnational aggression on its soil”.  Earlier, in the week, US Congressman Adam Schiff introduced the “Transnational Repression Reporting Act 2024” which particularly cited the targeting of the diaspora of India, Saudi Arabia, China and Iran on the rise.

Engaging with the separatist group attempting to revive an insurgency movement to dismember India mirrored the US’s blatant disregard for India’s sovereignty. Throwing a spanner into the India-US engagement, around the same time, the US District Court summoned NSA Ajit Doval, former R&AW Chief Samant Goel, senior R&AW officer Vikram Yadav and Nikhil Gupta over the alleged plot to kill Pannun. The US administration’s support to the separatist elements and a designated terrorist, Pannun has unequivocally revealed the two facets of its foreign policy- strategic engagement and containment.

Timing and messaging are crucial. The influential unaccountable lobby in the US administration has imposed last-minute roadblocks to derail the ties. These overt provocations and the constant irritants in India-US relations infused an element of equivocation and primed India for the limitations of the strategic partnership.

The two-pronged US policy always at work simultaneously is at the heart of the contention. The incongruence in the messaging has inadvertently dwindled the ‘trust’ elements vital for bridging gaps. Consequentially, the India-US relationship has at best been transactional despite cooperation and collaboration spanning several sectors. This dichotomy in the US’s approach makes the partnership more challenging for India despite the shared interests and common value systems. Sometimes the provocations are difficult to ignore lest the country be labelled a client state. Resisting the temptation to succumb to these impulses, Prime Minister Modi has pulled off a rare diplomatic success.

The three-day long PM Modi’s first visit to the US in his third term is a testament to his seasoned diplomacy. Amid, growing clatter over the delayed supply of GE F-404 jet engines that power the Tejas jets which have pushed back their delivery date, the constant nitpicking and undisguised political interference of the US, PM Modi has managed to infuse new momentum in the ties.

Geopolitical changes in the sub-continent especially the regime change episode in Bangladesh and the revival of anti-India forces and their platforming haven’t escaped people’s attention. Episodes of public censure, sanctions threats and constant rebuke India had to endure for its independent stance on Ukraine, some disagreements of late, have reconditioned into dissonance.

India has learned to work through this dissonance given the cognitive assertion of a real threat from China. In equal measure, the US no longer illusioned Beijing’s dubious “peaceful rise” is slowly derisking businesses from China. Further, India, the most attractive partner and balancer in the Indo-Pacific region is the US’s best bet for China+1 strategy.

India is deftly managing the divided political landscape of the US. At the helm of affairs, PM Modi has actively strengthened ties with the US under both dispensations- Democrat Presidents Barack Obama & Joe Biden and Republican President Donald Trump. The scale of engagement hasn’t taken any hit. Even as the extent of the US interventions in India’s internal affairs has become more pronounced, India has adopted a pragmatic approach.

Not losing sight of the economic and geopolitical imperatives, the Modi government has expanded the arenas of cooperation. To make India future-ready and resilient to the technological churn of the 21^st Century, India is deepening collaboration in the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum technology, semiconductors, space, advanced telecommunications, clean energy, agriculture and biotechnology.

A major leap in this direction is the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) launched in 2022 to elevate and expand strategic technological partnerships and defence industrial cooperation. This has added a new dimension to the existing defence cooperation of annual tri-services bilateral exercises. After the recently concluded Memorandum of Agreement, the first Liaison Officer from India was deployed to the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

In May 2024 India became part of the first-ever bilateral defence space table-top exercise. Countries have recently concluded Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) to enhance the mutual supply of defence goods and services. Additionally, to pave the way for building a strong MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) ecosystem India has set a uniform GST of 5%.

Hailed as the watershed agreement, countries have announced the first-ever semiconductor partnership. Referred to as Shakti, the unit will be set up in Jewar, UP. The fab unit supported by the India Semiconductor Mission and technology partnership with Bharat Semi 3rdiTech and the US Space Force will manufacture infrared, gallium nitride and silicon carbide semiconductors. The unit will supply chips to the US armed forces, its allied militaries and Indian defence forces. With the main focus on national security, the fab can be a power enhancer in modern-day warfare in terms of advanced sensing, communications, power electronics, next-generation telecommunications and green energy transition challenges.

To build a resilient, secure and sustainable semiconductor supply chain through GlobalFoundaries (GF), the creation of GG Kolkata Power Centre in Kolkata is exploring long-term cross-border chip manufacturing and technology partnerships.  Under the International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund created by the CHIPS Act of 2022, the US State Department is partnering with India Semiconductor Mission, Ministry of Electronics and IT to explore opportunities to grow and diversify the global semiconductor ecosystem.

Having missed the early bird opportunity, besides strengthening collaboration with Quad partners and the trilateral technology initiative of US-India-ROK, New Delhi is becoming part of the collective efforts to build a secure semiconductor supply chain to be at the ‘leading edge of innovation’. India is relentlessly exploring new opportunities for collaboration in renewable energy, small modular reactor technologies, advanced material R&D and AI innovation.

Through bilateral dialogue mechanisms in Trade, Cybersecurity cooperation, Commercial Dialogue (for securing resilient critical minerals supply chains) and Cancer Dialogue India is strengthening collaboration. The first ever India-US Cancer Dialogue launched the Bio5 Partnership between the US, India, ROK, Japan and EU for close cooperation on pharmaceutical supply chains.

A synergistic collaboration between India and the US especially in the STEM, Space, basic and applied research ecosystems in tune with the latest advancements is making rapid strides. Through the Triangular Trilateral Development Partnership, India and the US are building renewable energy projects and enhancing energy cooperation in Tanzania.

Countries have unveiled a roadmap for the India-US Initiative to build safe and secure global clean energy supply chains. US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) extended a $250 million loan to Tata Power Solar to construct a solar cell manufacturing facility and a $500 million loan to First Solar to construct and operate a Solar module manufacturing facility in India.

The US has also assured a $1 billion International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) funding guarantees for clean energy, high-quality jobs and achieving global climate goals. This will boost the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) between both countries.

Countries have also exchanged instruments of ratification for Pillar 3 (Renewable Energy, decarbonisation and green infrastructure) and Pillar 4 (fair economy including tax and anti-corruption) of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

Through continued engagement and deepening cooperation, PM Modi is aligning India’s developmental needs with the US’s strategic partnership. Prioritising national interests against all odds while advancing India’s image as a responsible power capable of mediation, PM Modi’s US visit displayed a rare diplomatic acumen.

With developmental and strategic interests weighing high on the agenda, the partnership is seemingly insulated from cognitive dissonance. As of now, the overweighing geopolitical reality is heralding the Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership. However, whenever the balance shifts, dissonance can overwhelm the coherence and throw the relationship out of gear.

Geopolitical uncertainties are altering power balances. The Unipolar world is now a thing of the past. The World is gearing up for a multipolar reality. With the US seeking to establish an alternate technological order, brimming with immense potential for opportunities and growth, India can be a trusted partner.  But Uncle Sam must reign in on the vested interests and veritable sceptics.

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