India has finally decided to bet for American led security in Asia, India’s decision was influenced due to lack of Russia’s ability to contain China, therefore, It has signed important agreements such as BECA where India has obtained valuable geospatial data, improving situational awareness for military operations and increasing the accuracy of its missile systems. COMCASA enabled Indian and US military platforms to network with each other. LEMOA allowed Indian and US militaries access to each other’s refueling facilities and military material. GSOMIA started the sharing of sensitive military intelligence data, through these four agreements will allow to implement better logistics, geospatial data sharing in place.
In October, Modi’s government has shed India’s traditional Nehruvian diffidence and embraced the US wholeheartedly. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper joined Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar for the third annual US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi, also relations with Washington and New Delhi have been increasingly in the last decade, now the dialogue has moved toward operationalizing the Quad, allowing major changes in political and military alliances in the region. Regarding the latest events marks a watershed in US-India relation even as Trump leaves and Biden takes over the trajectory of its relation is likely to remain the same.
Kevinn,
Yes, there appears to be a definite shift in Indian defense policy. They seem to have recognized that the most significant long-term threat they are facing is from China. And, as you indicate, they now realize that the Russians are not able to act as a counter-balance. So for the first time they seem open to a much closer relationship with the United States and to participating in the Quad.
I loved your reference to India “shedding its traditional Nehruvian diffidence.” This is an excellent way to characterize India’s historical posture. It was the founder and leader of the so-called “non-aligned movement.” But it now appears to be moving away from that approach.
–Professor Wallerstein