In the last week of December, President Barack Obama signed a legislation that codifies India as a “Major Defense Partner”, a definition that institutionalizes and commits future government, unless recalled. The intent of the legislation is to bolster India as “predominant security provider in the Indian Ocean Region”, and direct the administration to appoint an official to directly oversee United States-India defense trade, security cooperation, and co-production and co-development opportunities, identify impediments, and resolve them.
The first report under this law will come in around June from the administration of President Donald Trump, who has said, at an election rally in November, India and the U.S. will be “best friends” on his watch, reports the Hindustan Times.
