Secretary of Defense Panetta told
an Indian audience last week that "defense cooperation with India is a
linchpin" of U.S. efforts to "rebalance" its defense presence in the
Asia-Pacific. At a time when most American allies are plagued by shrinking
economies, aging workforces, and contracting militaries, India stands out as a
potential "net
security provider" in Asia. Even though the Indian economy has hit a rough
patch in the last few months, overall it is expanding -- along with the country's
population and military. The problem is that India does not necessarily share
the U.S. vision of an ever-closer strategic relationship. Distant for much of
the Cold War, the U.S. and Indian defense establishments began intermittent
flirtation in the 1990s punctuated by a three-year halt after India's 1998
nuclear tests. In 2001, the United States and India resumed defense cooperation. But after a decade of hard work, Washington still
wants New Delhi to do more. Here are the top ten things on Washington's wish
list.
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