[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 134 (Thursday, September 18, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5853-S5855]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INDIA
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, next week, Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi will travel to the United States for the first time since
his historic election victory. The U.S. and India are natural partners
with shared values and common interests, yet we are far from realizing
the full potential of our relationship to the mutual benefit of both of
our countries. On behalf of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and
thousands of Indian-American constituents across New Jersey, I welcome
the Prime Minister to the United States and am confident that his visit
will re-invigorate and refocus our partnership so that concrete
progress can be made in a host of sectors.
India's new government has won a historic mandate to deliver change
and reform, and we should be ready to support India's efforts to meet
challenges--through concrete measures to
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bolster trade and investment, strengthen defense cooperation, and
deepen our security partnership.
The U.S. and India are engaged in a comprehensive set of diplomatic
dialogue and working groups--currently there are dozens such groups
covering a wide range of issues in the areas of economics, security,
climate change, and education. This is a relationship that does not
suffer from a lack of dialogue. It has, however, unfortunately suffered
from a lack of results, especially since the civilian nuclear framework
was agreed to in 2005. With a strong push from the Prime Minister,
President Obama and the U.S. Congress, the time is right for these
dialogues to translate into action.
There is broad support in the U.S. for a more robust economic and
trade relationship with India. Investment should be at the top of this
agenda. I welcome India's move to raise foreign investment ceilings in
several sectors of the Indian economy, including defense, railways, e-
commerce and insurance. These are important steps that have helped to
ease some of the concerns American companies have had about barriers to
entering the Indian market. However more must be done and I hope that
the U.S. and India will work together to address these remaining
barriers.
Vice President Biden laid out an ambitious trade target last summer
in India, calling for a five-fold increase from $100 billion to $500
billion a year in annual bilateral trade. Prime Minister Modi and
President Obama should reconvene the Trade Policy Forum this year,
which will provide a platform to identify steps to improve our economic
and trade relationship. The Prime Minister's visit will also present an
opportunity to reengage on World Trade Organization negotiations, where
India's concerns are the last remaining barrier to the important Trade
Facilitation Agreement. I also hope we can smooth the way forward for
continued discussions to complete a Bilateral Investment Treaty.
U.S. companies seek to invest in India, but need transparent
governance, a fair regulatory environment, and strong legal mechanisms
to protect those investments. If the Indian government can deliver on
its plans for greater openness for capital flows and stronger
intellectual property rights, I am confident our companies are ready to
invest. We want to work together with India to help foster the best
conditions for this kind of economic growth and partnership.
I welcome recent reports that India plans to develop a new
comprehensive intellectual property rights, IPR, policy. We need to see
real reforms on this key issue, which significantly impacts the ability
of U.S. companies to do business in an important market. In particular,
the life sciences industry faces continuing challenges on IPR
protections. I appreciate that this is a complex issue. Policymakers in
both the United States and India want to ensure access to medications
for those who need them, especially for low-income and other vulnerable
populations. International life sciences companies in my State and from
other nations are concerned that India's lack of protection of IPR will
threaten innovation and affect access for those very people. I look
forward to the renewed dialogue with the Indian government on this
issue.
India has a central role in contributing to prosperity in South Asia,
a central foreign policy interest of the U.S. As the U.S. seeks to
bolster Afghanistan's economic links in the region, within the
framework of the New Silk Road initiative, we look to India to play a
critical role in promoting trade with Afghanistan and the other
countries of Central Asia. Regional economic connectivity should also
extend to India's trade relationship with Pakistan. I urge both India
and Pakistan to continue to work toward strengthening their bilateral
relationship. Improved trade relations between India and Pakistan have
the potential to unlock opportunities for over 1.5 billion people. The
U.S. stands ready and willing to support efforts that enhance the
cross-border trade relationship.
India is a strong partner in U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the
region, and we have a shared national interest to confront terrorism,
prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and maintain
regional stability. In Afghanistan, India has been a key provider of
development assistance and supporter of the Afghan National Security
Forces. As the international community draws down forces in
Afghanistan, the U.S. and India should be prepared to increase
counterterrorism and intelligence cooperation and coordination, and
both sides should commit to a robust set of military exercises. Last
year India significantly increased its purchases of American arms and
now conducts more exercises and personnel exchanges with the U.S. than
any other country--I welcome and encourage expanding this important
collaboration.
Defense cooperation remains the most promising area of U.S.-India
cooperation, and I am pleased that Secretary Hagel's recent visit to
India further deepened our defense ties. We should expand initiatives
to strengthen our defense cooperation, including military exercises, as
well as co-production and co-development of defense products. The
Defense Technology and Trade Initiative should continue to advance
efforts to reform India's defense procurement and management systems,
and encourage both sides to explore the possibility of a revamped and
expanded formal framework for a bilateral defense agreement.
I believe we should be expanding educational ties in all sectors--the
best and the brightest from both sides should be exchanging ideas and
building on the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit that exists in
both countries. I encourage the U.S.-India Education Dialogue to
continue to explore areas of collaboration, including student and
faculty exchange, research cooperation, and implementation of
technology-enabled education strategies, such as e-learning, and
cooperation between community colleges.
Rutgers University has formed strong relationships with Indian
educational and research institutions, and has increased the profile of
India with businesses, communities, and nonprofit organizations in New
Jersey. Rutgers was one of five recipients of the 21st Century
Knowledge Initiative, which unifies many of the university's efforts
with Indian institutions through faculty exchanges, and research and
innovation collaboration in the priority areas of food security,
climate change, sustainable health and public health. I strongly
support these collaborations, and encourage the expansion of efforts to
strengthen exchanges in technical and vocational education.
India has a long and rich history of religious, ethnic, and
linguistic pluralism with a vibrant civil society. We should also
continue to work together to ensure greater respect for human rights,
and encourage a legal framework that protects the civil rights and
liberties of the most vulnerable Indian populations, particularly women
and children.
India is critical to international efforts to address climate change.
There are huge opportunities for India to act on climate change while
boosting development at the same time, and I urge the Indian government
to continue to explore ways to make clean power more accessible and
more affordable. We should also expand our partnership with India on
energy, which would help them reduce dependence on unstable energy
suppliers. Finally, we must continue to work toward cutting emissions
from hydrofluorocarbons and coal--both of which contribute to climate
change. I applaud Secretary Kerry and Minister Swaraj's efforts to
establish a new joint working group on climate change, and am hopeful
that we can continue to explore ways to expand R&D collaboration to
bolster renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, to meet India's
growing energy demands, while ensuring there are environmental
protections.
Our agenda is extensive and the potential to accomplish our mutually
beneficial goals is limitless. There is so much room for growth. With
sustained attention and leadership, as well as active engagement by the
Indian-American diaspora, I am confident in our ability to achieve
results and work toward a more prosperous and secure future. I am proud
to welcome Prime Minister Modi to the United States and I wish him a
successful visit.
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