Building Foundations: The U.S.-India Defense Relationship

The New America Foundation’s National Security Studies Program hosted an on-the-record, invite-only discussion on August 24^th with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Robert Scher. The event focused on how the U.S. Department of Defense is building day-to-day relationships that will shape our defense partnership with India in the future, Mr Scher’s remarks focused on people-to-people ties, military exercises and defense sales. The event was moderated by Steve Coll, President of New America Foundation.

Mr. Scher began his remarks by defining the current state of relations between the U.S. and India, making it clear that current efforts are focusing on building and strengthening a long term partnership built on shared interests and mutual respect. The U.S. views India not as an ally or junior partner but an equal.  He then spoke on the importance of the day-to-day successes designed to foster trust and understanding between the two countries.

The first area where relations are focused is in improving the person to person relationship, focusing on opening up teaching programs for each other’s armed forces, promoting the sharing of information, ideas, and the building of personal relationships amongst service members. He continued by detailing the effectiveness of joint military exercises, allowing the nations to better work together. In terms of defense sales, Mr. Scher noted that the high level of technology sold from the U.S. to India is evidence to the trust between the two nations. He concluded his remarks by explaining that improving the relationship between the U.S. and India will allow the countries to better serve mutual interests.

DASD Scher’s remarks were followed by a brief Question and Answer period in which he stressed the need for increasing transparency between the two nations, understanding each other’s needs, and the continuation of current policies. He focused on the mutual interests the two have in countering piracy and terrorism. When asked if having a strong relationship with India hurts U.S.-Pakistan relations Mr. Scher responded that the U.S. views both relationships as one of partnerships that are vital to national interests.

Participants

Featured Speaker
Robert Scher
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia

Moderator
Steve Coll
President
New America Foundation