INDO-US RELATIONS IN CHANGING REGIONAL CONTEXT OF POST-9/11 EVENTS

Abstract

Abstract
Bilateral relations between India and the United States emerged against a background of major shift in American security requirements and emerging economy of India. During much of the Cold War era, India was not an important factor in American thinking of international security due to its anti-American approach and inclination towards the former Soviet Union. However, the post-Cold War period transformed the old rivalries into a new strategic partnership due to certain reasons, including the disintegration of the Soviet Union and China’s emergence as a rival regional power. Indian military power was also significant for American presence in the Persian Gulf and the East Asia, which led the latter to conduct a serious dialogue with India. India’s fourth largest army and powerful navy with the largest submarine fleet further increased its importance for the US-led war on terror. This situation provided more solid basis for cooperation on foreign policy issues than its need in the earlier decades. The study has assumed that the US has recognized the significance of a stronger relationship with India in the changing regional scenario. The relationship between the two states is a partnership rather than an alliance. The paper purports to highlight the relations between the two countries, focusing the post-9/11 era.