The Act also states that the Secretary of Defense should strengthen military-to-military engagement between the US and India, including soliciting and recognizing efforts by India that would allow the US to treat India as a major defense partner.
NDAA requires that the Secretaries of Defense and State assess India's capabilities to act as a partner with the US, and requires the President to ensure that the assessment is used both to inform the review of defense export requests and to inform any regulatory and policy adjustments that may be appropriate.
The role of USISC
It took USISCouncil more than two years of diligent research, hard work and expenses to accomplish this endeavor which is financed by Indian Americans. USISCouncil Board Members met in person India's Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, next the India's National Security Advisor Mr. Ajit Doval, and finally with India's Prime Minister Modi. We received their input and tacit approval that they liked our idea of improving and enhancing US-India Defense relationship. Even though the bureaucracies of India and USA were skeptical, we initiated our campaign in full fledge. We hired Washington's most powerful lobbyists. Mr. Thomas McCarthy of Akin Gump researched and drafted the first document that has become the foundation of the language and now part of the law in the National Defense Authorization Act, (NDAA) 2017.
Next, with the help of K&L Gates we have approached every Congressman and Senator and/or their senior staff members of US Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees and presented National Security and Trade interests of the United States and convinced them of the importance and benefits of enhancing US-India Defense and Trade relationship.
