The defense and security dimension of the U.S.-India strategic partnership, despite demonstrating significant growth and progress in recent years, still lacks the maturity critical to enabling the cooperation envisioned.
U.S. defense sales to India remain important to the broader U.S.–India strategic relationship and deserve sustained focus by officials in both capitals to overcome obstacles to collaboration.
India may soon close a deal with Russia to purchase two S-400 air defense systems, thereby triggering secondary sanctions from the United States. Without Congressional action, the U.S.-India defense relationship will likely suffer.
The United States and India are on the cusp of translating a shared vision for the Indo-Pacific into tangible cooperation. Defense trade could prove an important catalyst.