Text of NDAA 2017 designating India a "major defence partner" of US... and my summarisation

Section 1292 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017: “Enhancing Defense and Security Cooperation with India”

The Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State should jointly act to:

1.              Recognise India as a major defense partner of the US.

2.              Designate an official to (a) Pursue the “Framework for the US-India Defense Relationship”; and (b) Help resolve issues that impede defence cooperation.

3.              Facilitate the transfer of advanced technology to India, to support combined military planning for missiles like HADR, counter-piracy, freedom of navigation, MDA and to promote weapons interoperability.

4.              Strengthen the DTTI and the Pentagon’s “India Rapid Reaction Cell”.

5.              Collaborate with Govt of India to develop “mutually agreeable” mechanisms for verifying security and end use monitoring.

6.              Support alignment of India’s export control and procurement regimes with those of US and multilateral control regimes.

7.              Enhance defence and security cooperation with India to advance US interests in South Asia and the Indo-Asia-Pacific regions.

Within 180 days of this Act, and annually thereafter, Secretaries for Defence and State should report to Congress on progress on the actions above.

Bilateral Coordination: Secretary of Defence should facilitate exchanges between senior defence and civil officials of US and India

(a) To enhance military engagement in threat analysis, military doctrine, force planning, mutual security interests, logistical support, intelligence, tactics, techniques and procedures, HADR;

(b) Include exchanges of senior military officers;

(c) Enhance military cooperation, including maritime security, counter-piracy, counter-terror cooperation and domain awareness in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region;

(d) Accelerate combined military planning for (HADR, counter-piracy, freedom of navigation, MDA and to promote weapons interoperability) or (threat analysis, military doctrine, force planning, mutual security interests, logistical support, intelligence, tactics, techniques and procedures, HADR) or other missions in the national security interests of both countries; and

(e) Solicit efforts by India that would allow US to treat India as a “major defence partner”.

Assessment Required:

(a)   Secretaries for Defence and State shall, on an ongoing basis, assess India’s capabilities to support and carry out military operations of mutual interest to the US and India;

(b)   Including an assessment of defence export control regulations and policies that need modification in recognition of India’s capabilities and status as a major defence partner.

(c)   Use of Assessment: the President shall ensure that the assessment above is used, consistent with US conventional arms transfer policy, to inform US reviews of Indian requests for defence articles, services or related technology under the Arms Export Control Act.