India and the United States are the two largest democracies in the world.  In my opinion, these two countries should be “joined at the hip’ regarding matters of defense and their economies.

Yes, “America first” for Americans, and yes, “India first” for Indians…, but helping each other out as much as possible economically and militarily does not fly against the concept of “America first” or “India first.“  Our cooperation with each other and consideration of each other will only help to strengthen both countries, strengthen both democracies, and democracy around the world.

Both of our countries should be strategic partners in the fight against tyrants, communism and terrorism…, for these are the true enemies of democracy and freedom.

It would behoove the United States to support and partner with India…, as India finds itself geographically close and closer to our common countries of concern…, like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.

I implore President Trump and Prime Minister Modi to build on their positive relationship, and take our countries’ relationship and cooperation to the next level.

It could only be a win-win proposition.

The truth is, however, that the vast majority of Americans are either uninterested, uninformed, or misinformed, about what’s going on in their own country…, much less what’s going on in India.

That being said…,

According to Peter Suciu, for the “National Interest” website, “Thousands of soldiers from both China and India have been locked in a standoff for the better part of a month. Among the ongoing issues is the strategic road through the Galwan Valley in Ladkh that India has been building – a move opposed by China.”

“India has fallen far behind China’s military, but today both countries share the out-sized ambition to be a ‘great power’ in Asia—if not the most powerful. China and India have, respectively, the largest and second-largest militaries on the continent and the highest and second-highest defense budgets. Both have huge domestic defense industries as well.”

“For now, cooler heads have prevailed, but just as India and Pakistan continue to face one another in the region, so too will India and China.”

Dinesh Kumar, who is a defense analyst for The Sunday Guardian Live website, reported in January that, “Army Day on Tuesday, 15 January, will see an impressive display of soldiers and war-fighting equipment. But behind the pomp is an unsatisfactory story.”

“The Army will celebrate Army Day with the Chief of Army Staff taking the salute at the customary Army parade in the Delhi Cantonment parade ground with much fanfare. The same Army Day parade contingents will form a dominant part of the annual Republic Day parade on 26 January on Raj Path, Delhi’s most iconic road that links Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.”

“But behind the impressive display of soldiers and war fighting equipment at these two monumental parades continues an unsatisfactory story: A disappointing and worrisome story of under-preparedness, deficiency and obsolescence. This sordid state of affairs has been in perpetuity since long [ago] and nothing tangible seems to have been done to reverse this negative state of affairs.”

“Consider the following: The Indian Army’s equipment is officially calculated at 68% vintage, 24% current and only 8% state-of-the-art.”

“How prepared is the Army to fight an intense or long conventional war? ‘Not very,’ is the short answer.”

“Parades and brave statements apart, the government needs to ensure that the country’s last and ultimate instrument is never found wanting. This is a neglect that India can ill afford.”

A weakened and neglectful India is something democracy around the world can ill afford as well.

The world needs a strong United States and a strong India.

At the very least, and as a good starting point, India should become a member of NATO…, and the United States should be the one to invite them in.

Eventually, however, I would like to see and grand partnership between India and the United States that would far exceed a NATO-type of alliance.

This partnership would be especially helpful when dealing with China in regards to their “attack” on the rest of the world, with their intentional spreading of the coronavirus around the world and their uncooperativeness regarding pertinent investigations and research.

Let’s make no mistake about this…, China is an adversary of democracy and freedom everywhere.

China and its evil intentions are not going away.

How we choose to deal with them is the only question.

I would really like to hear from my Indian friends and followers on this matter.

Do any people in India have the same appetite for an enhanced relationship between our two countries, as I do…, or am I barking up an uninterested tree here?

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