By Alyssa Ayres
The Modi government is likely to see a U.S. Congress engaged in India relations, with caveats.
With the midterm elections in the United States decisively giving the Republican Party control of the Senate, and a stronger showing in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, speculation in Washington now centers on what a Republican Congress means for policy. In The Water’s Edge, CFR’s James M. Lindsay argues that Republican control will change foreign policy, but less than many might think. In Foreign Policy, Bruce E. Stokes argues that a more aggressive foreign policy might be on the offing. In theFinancial Times, Shawn Donnan reports that Republicans have already offered up trade as an area for cooperation with the White House. So what does Republican control of Congress suggest for India and the U.S.-India relationship? I’ll focus on the Senate here since leadership transitions will take place in January for every committee.
Let’s start with security. If, as reported, Senator John McCain will assume the chairmanship of the Senate Armed Services Committee in January, that’s good news for New Delhi. Senator McCain has a long track record of support for a stronger India and a stronger U.S. relationship with it. He’s been a frequent visitor, most recently in July, and has spoken forcefully about American interests in a deeper partnership with India. In September, the senator published an essay in Foreign Policy arguing for a pivot to India, with India at the heart of U.S. interests in Asia. He argued that the United States should be India’s preferred partner on energy, on trade, and on defense. He’s a strong advocate for amending U.S. laws on natural gas to permit more access for partners like India; for a larger economic ambition with India like a free trade agreement (FTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership; and a much deeper defense relationship, inclusive of enhanced strategic consultations, more joint exercises, and getting to work on joint development and production of weapons systems.
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