Prime Minister's Visit to America | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Recent Developments

The Indian Prime Minister visited the United States to attend the 6th Quad Leaders' Summit 2024 in Wilmington, marking a key moment in cooperation among Australia, India, Japan, and the US. The visit also included a bilateral meeting between Indian and US leaders and participation in the UN’s Summit of the Future.

Summit of the Future

• Overview: This high-level global meeting aims to forge a new international consensus on securing a better future.
• Pact for the Future: Signed in September 2024, the pact aims to reshape global governance, focusing on peace, sustainable development, climate change, and human rights. Key elements include a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations.
• Main Goals: Reforming the UN Security Council, advancing nuclear disarmament, enhancing climate finance, and promoting responsible AI governance. The pact emphasizes inclusivity, gender equality, and youth participation in global governance.
• India's Focus: India stressed the need for global peace through institutional reform, addressing terrorism, and conflicts such as Ukraine and Israel-Hamas. India also promoted digital governance and offered its digital infrastructure for global use.

Key Outcomes of the Quad Summit

1. Quad Cancer Moonshot: A major initiative targeting cervical cancer in the Indo-Pacific, with India pledging $10 million to the WHO’s Global Initiative on Digital Health and the Serum Institute of India providing up to 40 million HPV vaccine doses.

2. Maritime Security: Announcements included the Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission, to improve maritime safety, and the MAITRI initiative to enhance maritime domain awareness and law enforcement in the Indo-Pacific. India will host the first MAITRI workshop in 2025.

3. Logistics and Infrastructure: The Indo-Pacific Logistics Network aims to enhance disaster response with shared airlift capacity. The Ports of the Future Partnership seeks to develop resilient port infrastructure in the region.

4. Emerging Technologies: The summit focused on cooperation in biotechnology and quantum computing, fostering innovation and research among member nations.

5. Future Engagements: Upcoming meetings include the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in 2025 in the US and the next Quad Leaders' Summit in India, with a regional ports and transportation conference scheduled for Mumbai in 2025.

Key Outcomes of the India-US Bilateral Summit

1. Military Cooperation: Progress was made with India’s acquisition of 31 MQ-9B drones, aimed at enhancing intelligence and surveillance. A Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap was discussed for co-production of defense technologies.

2. Liaison Officers: The first Indian liaison officer will be stationed at US Special Operations Command, improving joint military operations.

3. Cybersecurity: A Bilateral Cyber Engagement in November 2024 will strengthen cybersecurity collaboration.

4. Supply Chain Resilience: A new agreement aims to improve defense supply chains, ensuring quicker responses to security challenges.

5. Economic Reforms: India introduced a uniform 5% Goods and Services Tax on Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services for aircraft, boosting the MRO sector.

Challenges in India-US Relations and the Quad

1. India-US Challenges:

   • Trade Tensions: Persistent economic frictions, market access barriers, and intellectual property disputes.
   • Strategic Autonomy: India's independent stance sometimes conflicts with US expectations, particularly regarding the Russia-Ukraine war.
   • Technology Transfer: Challenges in sharing advanced technology due to US export control regulations.
   • Human Rights: US critiques of India’s human rights record create diplomatic strain.
   • Climate Change: Differences in emission targets and financial commitments.

2. Quad Challenges:

   • Diverging Interests: Each Quad nation has distinct national priorities, which could hinder consensus on trade, security, and climate action.
   • Geopolitical Tensions: China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the South China Sea, poses challenges for Quad diplomacy.
   • Economic Integration: India’s protectionist policies and trade tensions complicate deeper economic integration.
   • Defense Cooperation: Interoperability and intelligence sharing remain challenges, despite improvements through joint exercises like Malabar.
   • Cybersecurity Threats: Growing cyber threats necessitate stronger coordination.

Way Forward

1. Address Trade Tensions: Dialogue on market access, intellectual property, and balancing trade surpluses to improve economic ties.
2. Clarify Strategic Autonomy: Align priorities while respecting India’s independent stance on global conflicts like Russia-Ukraine.
3. Enhance Technology Transfer: Streamline US regulations to facilitate technology sharing and joint defense production.
4. Collaborate on Climate Change: Build common ground on emission targets and financial support for joint climate initiatives.
5. Unify Quad Interests: Find common strategies for trade, security, and climate action to maintain cohesion.
6. Counter Geopolitical Tensions: Adopt a unified approach to address China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
7. Strengthen Economic Integration: Address protectionism and harmonize regulations to enhance Quad economic ties and supply chain resilience.
8. Advance Defense Cooperation: Continue improving joint military exercises, interoperability, and intelligence sharing.
9. Cultural Exchanges: Strengthen cultural diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges to foster long-term stability.