The US Congress has passed an enhanced $700 billion defence bill, which directs the administration to find a “common definition” of ties with India as a “Major Defence Partner” (MDP) and operationalise it by designating an official responsible for it. The MDP designation — unique to India-US ties, as neither country uses it for any of their global partners — seeks to promote defence cooperation, trade, co-production and co-development of military hardware. The legislation also directs the state and defence departments to appoint an official responsible for shepherding MDP ties. The two departments are also required to brief appropriate committees of the House and Senate on actions taken to advance defence ties between the two countries. NDAA 2018 also enjoins the administration to add to ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries an enhanced role for US “partners and allies” and “support joint exercises, operations, and patrols and mutual defence planning with India”.

Source: Hindustan Times November 17, 2017 08:15 UTC