Ans.

U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS

The U.S.-India partnership has its foundation in common values, including the rule of law and democratic principles.  The United States and India have shared interests in promoting global security, stability, and economic prosperity through trade, investment, and connectivity. The United States supports India’s emergence as a leading global power and vital partner in efforts to ensure that the Indo-Pacific is a region of peace, stability, and growing prosperity.  The strong people-to-people ties between our countries, grounded in shared values, are a tremendous source of strength for the partnership. In 2018, India hosted the inaugural 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi led by the U.S. Secretaries of State and Defense, and the Indian Ministers of External Affairs and Defense, at which both sides affirmed the importance of India’s designation as a Major Defense Partner of the United States and agreed to expand defense and security cooperation. The U.S.-India Counterterrorism Joint Working Group, established in 2000, is one of the oldest dialogues between our two governments. The United States will host the next 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in 2019.

Economic Relations

The United States seeks an expanded trade relationship that is reciprocal and fair. Bilateral trade in 2018 was $142 billion, a 12.6 percent increase from 2017.  U.S. energy exports are an important area of growth in the trade relationship.  In 2018 India purchased 48.2 million barrels of U.S. crude oil, a significant increase from 9.6 million in 2017.  Last year, Indian students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities contributed over $7 billion to the U.S. economy.  The total number of Indian students in the United States has more than doubled over the last decade, from 81,000 in 2008 to a record high of 196,000 in 2018.

International Cooperation

India and the United States cooperate closely at multilateral organizations, including the United Nations, G-20, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. The United States supports a reformed UN Security Council that includes India as a permanent member. India is an ASEAN dialogue partner, an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development partner, and an observer to the Organization of American States. India is also a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), at which the United States is a dialogue partner