Bill to strengthen Indo-US defence ties |
A key bill to accord `real teeth` to India`s recently designated status as a `major defence partner` and grant it the same access to defence purchases as America`s closest military allies such as NATO members, Israel, Australia and a few others, passed a crucial stage in the US Congress on May 9. But its route to final passage remains uncertain. The legislative measure was moved by Eliot Engel, the senior-most Democrat on the foreign affairs committee of the House of Representatives as an amendment to the International; Security Assistance Act 2018, which was among bunch of bills reported to the full House in a process called mark up. The bill adds real teeth to the designation (of India as a major defense partner) at a time when US relationship with India is more important than ever, according to Ami Bera, Indian American Democratic Congressman, in remarks supporting Engels amendment. But Bera also expressed concern at the lack of progress on the issue since the first move, the designation, in 2015 and its subsequent codification into law in 2017.
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