Congress questions utility of PM Modi’s recent trip
New Delhi : Even as the ministry of external affairs sought to down play the impact of the US Senate’s decision to reject an amendment that would grant India the status of a ‘global strategic and defence partner”, the opposition Congress party has raised questions about the utility of prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit to America last week.
In a joint statement issued during Modi’s visit, America had recognised India as a “major defence partner” but the US Senate did not agree to amend the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to grant India the status of “global strategic and defence partner”. This key amendment is necessary to modify its export control regulations.
Notably the US House of Representatives has already passed a similar amendment attached to the NDAA. The two versions of the bill would now have to be reconciled by both the Chambers of the Congress through a conference. It is only after the common version of the Bill is passed that US President Barack Obama would sign that into law.
Commenting on this development, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said: ‘‘We have seen media reports about non-inclusion of an India-related amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act by the US Senate. The 2017 NDAA is in the process of its formulation and it would be premature to speculate about its final content.”
Swarup explained that the preparation of NDAA is a process distinct from the decision of the US government to recognise India as a Major Defence Partner. “This was an executive decision and already announced in India — the US Joint Statement of June 7. A number of Senators and Congressmen have moved proposals that only seek to reinforce this decision of the US Government. It reflects the bipartisan support in the US Congress for stronger defence cooperation between India and the US,” he added. Top Republican senator John McCain had moved an amendment to the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA—17) which if passed would have recognised India as a global strategic and defence partner.
In the wake of these developments, Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma questioned the utility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US.” The prime minister has every right to go abroad. But then he should stop misleading the nation. His visit to the US was touted as a big success, and now within a week the reality stands exposed. The US senate has refused to endorse the executive decision of its government. In so far as our being recognised as a major defense partner is concerned, that only confirms our status as a buyer of US military equipment. We spend billions of dollars to buy these products, and this is no favour,” he added.
Sharma said that the successes projected in Mexico and Switzerland either on the issue of reassurances about the NSG membership or the MTCR have no special significance. ”Once the Americans have signed the civil nuclear agreement with us in 2008, then all these things are just a formality; the signing of that agreement followed only after an NSG and IAEA waiver,” he said while recalling that at that time the BJP had tried to bring a non-confidence motion against the UPA government that was defeated on the floor of the Lok Sabha.
The Congress spokesperson even took a dim view of the standing ovation for Prime Minister Modi during the course of his address to the joint meeting of the Congress and the senate. ‘‘That meeting is open to invitees, and it is not attended exclusively by the Senators and the Congressmen. The government should release the list of the elected US leaders present at that meeting,” he added.
