India and the United States have developed a remarkable partnership in the 21st century, overcoming the legacy of Cold War mistrust and divergence. The two countries share common values of democracy, pluralism, and rule of law, as well as common interests in promoting global security, stability, and prosperity. The India-US relationship is now described by both sides as one of the most consequential in the world, and one that defies easy definition or limitation. The India-US partnership encompasses a wide range of domains, such as defense, trade, energy, health, education, science and technology, space, counterterrorism, climate change, and multilateral cooperation. The partnership is also driven by strong people-to-people ties, with over four million Indian-Americans living in the US and contributing to various fields of endeavor. The two countries have also established several high-level dialogues and mechanisms to facilitate regular consultations and coordination on bilateral, regional, and global issues. The defense and security cooperation between India and the US has been one of the most visible and dynamic aspects of the partnership. The two countries have signed several foundational agreements to enhance interoperability and information sharing, such as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), the Industrial Security Annex (ISA), and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA). They have also elevated their defense relationship to a Major Defense Partnership in 2016, which enables greater collaboration on defense technology and innovation. The US has emerged as one of the top suppliers of defense equipment to India, with over $20 billion worth of sales since 2008. The two countries also conduct regular joint exercises across all domains, such as Malabar (naval), Yudh Abhyas (army), Cope India (air force), Tiger Triumph (tri-service), and Vajra Prahar (special forces). They also cooperate on maritime security, counter-piracy, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping, and defense trade and industry.
The trade and economic cooperation between India and the US has also grown significantly in recent years, despite some challenges and disputes. The bilateral trade in goods and services reached $146 billion in 2019, making the US India's largest trading partner. The two countries have also increased their investment flows, with the US being one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment (FDI) in India, and India being one of the fastest growing sources of FDI in the US. The two countries have also launched several initiatives to enhance their trade and economic ties, such as the Trade Policy Forum (TPF), the Commercial Dialogue (CD), the CEO Forum, the Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP), and the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. They have also identified priority sectors for collaboration, such as infrastructure, energy, digital economy, innovation, agriculture, health care, education, and tourism.The energy cooperation between India and the US has been another key pillar of the partnership. The two countries have worked together to advance India's energy security and transition to a low-carbon economy. The US has supported India's civil nuclear program since the landmark civil nuclear deal in 2008, which paved the way for cooperation on nuclear energy, technology, and non-proliferation. The US has also become a major supplier of oil and gas to India, with exports reaching $9 billion in 2019. The two countries have also collaborated on renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean coal technologies, smart grids, energy storage, electric mobility, and biofuels. They have also launched several platforms for dialogue and cooperation on energy issues, such as the SEP mentioned above.
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