Over the past decade relations between India and the United States—the world’s two largest democracies—have utterly transformed. Carefully nurtured, this bilateral relationship should become one of the world’s strategic pivots and improve prospects for global peace and prosperity in the twenty-first century.
But this transition will require psychological adjustments from both nations. India must shed outdated mindsets that still dominate much of its foreign policy elite and accept the obligations of its surging power. And the United States must accept a more collective form of global leadership, in which others shape the terms and conditions of multilateral cooperation. If New Delhi and Washington can make this transition, their partnership has a limitless future.
This is the central insight of a joint study group report released today by CFR and Aspen Institute India (AII), The United States and India: A Shared Strategic Future. The high-level study group, including luminaries from both countries, was co-chaired by Robert Blackwill, former U.S. ambassador to India, and Naresh Chandra, chairman of India’s national security advisory board. As the report makes clear, the two countries share a slew of interests. Both seek:
This article was originally published by Council on Foreign Relations. You can read the rest of the article here.
You can read exclusive content from Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations, here.
Copyright © 2010 by the Council on Foreign Relations, Inc.