House Foreign Affairs Committee to review US policy towards India

Washington: The powerful House Committee on Foreign Affairs will review the US policy towards India and the continued expansion of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the defence sector.

India appears on the 11th list of priorities for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for the current Congress.

The committee said it "will review US policy towards India and the continued expansion of bilateral cooperation rooted in shared democratic values while countering the influence of US adversaries in South and Central Asia."

"Particular attention will be paid to the US-India defence relationship, including security and technology cooperation, opportunities for expanded roles, missions, and capabilities, and counterterrorism efforts,” it said.

The committee will also focus on efforts to effectively enhance US-India economic relations, including discussions surrounding bilateral efforts in the technology, telecommunications, and pharmaceutical industries. 

"The committee will also focus on efforts to bolster India’s participation in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue efforts and review the implications of India’s rapidly growing energy demands,” it said.

The top priority for the committee will be the dangers posed by China.

Adopting its authorisation and oversight plan for the 119th Congress, the committee said it will review the international agreements and treaties China has signed and its violations thereof. 

This will encompass the human rights agreements China has violated through its genocide of the Uyghurs and persistent abuse of human rights, the violations of its obligations to Hong Kong under the Basic Law, actions inconsistent with its World Trade Organisation and other trade and investment obligations, non-proliferation regimes, cyber agreements, and other bilateral and international agreements.

After China, the second on top of the priority is an examination of the State Department’s participation in multilateral forums such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and closely monitor any discussion of trade agreements in the Indo-Pacific region.

It will also conduct regular review and oversight over the State Department and US Agency for International Development resourcing in the Indo-Pacific.

Among the top 10 issues for the committee are Taiwan, Europe, Russia and its war against Ukraine, the Middle East and North Africa, Israel, Iran, Africa and Afghanistan.