[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 13010]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 523--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE 
  IMPORTANCE OF THE UNITED STATES-INDIA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AND THE 
            CONTINUED DEEPENING OF BILATERAL TIES WITH INDIA

  Mr. WARNER (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Kaine, and Mr. Risch) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 523

       Whereas the United States-India relationship is built on 
     mutual respect for common values, including democracy, the 
     rule of law, a market economy, and ethnic and religious 
     diversity, and bolstered by strong people-to-people ties, 
     including a 3,000,000 strong Indian American diaspora;
       Whereas the Senate places tremendous value on the 
     relationship with India, and the bipartisan Senate India 
     Caucus comprises 40 Senators and is the largest bilateral 
     caucus in the Senate;
       Whereas the United States and India have a unique 
     opportunity, in the early days of the new administration in 
     India, to refresh the United States-India relationship and 
     work cooperatively to make progress that will benefit both of 
     our countries in a broad range of areas, including education, 
     skills development, infrastructure, and energy;
       Whereas a strong economic partnership between India and the 
     United States requires a mutual respect for innovation;
       Whereas an investment environment that fosters continued 
     research and development and the bilateral relationship 
     between the United States and India has resulted in almost 
     $100,000,000,000 in trade of goods and services in 2013;
       Whereas the United States-India relationship is vital to 
     promoting stability, democracy, and economic prosperity in 
     the 21st century;
       Whereas defense and security ties have led to nearly 
     $10,000,000,000 in defense trade, and the United States-India 
     Defense Trade and Technology Initiative has facilitated 
     greater cooperation on joint development of defense 
     platforms;
       Whereas counterterrorism cooperation is a growing and 
     important aspect of the partnership given the terrorist 
     threats faced by both countries, including from groups such 
     as al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba;
       Whereas the United States values India's role as a net 
     security provider in the Indian Ocean Region and promoter of 
     regional stability and maritime security in the Asian Pacific 
     region; and
       Whereas India is a close partner of the United States in 
     Afghanistan, has committed over $2,000,000,000 in development 
     assistance, and shares the United States' goal of a stable, 
     democratic, and prosperous Afghanistan; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, It is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) Prime Minister Narenda Modi should be able to address 
     the United States Congress at the earliest opportunity;
       (2) the United States Government should develop a clear 
     strategic plan for its relationship with India and hold a 
     robust strategic dialogue in New Delhi that lays out clear 
     objectives and deliverables to set a positive trajectory for 
     the relationship and moves from dialogue to action to build a 
     path forward for more ambitious cooperation;
       (3) the United States nominate and confirm an Ambassador to 
     India as soon as possible;
       (4) the United States and India should continue to expand 
     economic engagement, including finalizing a bilateral 
     investment treaty and reviving the Trade Policy Forum;
       (5) the United States Government should urge the Government 
     of India to continue with its economic liberalization 
     reforms, including lifting the caps on foreign direct 
     investment and taking steps to enhance protections for 
     intellectual property, and consider discussions with other 
     Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum nations about 
     Indian membership in APEC;
       (6) the United States and India should expand energy 
     cooperation, by India fully implementing the 2008 civil 
     nuclear pact, and the United States pursuing increased export 
     of liquefied natural gas to India;
       (7) the United States and India should continue to deepen 
     defense and security cooperation, to include expanded joint 
     exercises and training, sales and co-production, holding a 
     ``2+2'' meeting of senior defense and foreign affairs 
     officials, and reestablishing the Defense Policy Group; and
       (8) the United States Government should urge the Government 
     of India to modify its offset regime so funds can flow to a 
     second tier of Indian priorities such as education, skills 
     development, or manufacturing.

                          ____________________