Engaged democracies : India-U.S. relations in the 21st century

As the world's largest democracies, India and the United States have been viewed as natural allies. And yet estrangement rather than engagement has defined relations between New Delhi and Washington through much of the last half century. The Pokhran II nuclear tests by India in May 1998 reduced India-U.S. relations to a new low point.

Is this beginning to change? India and the United States have sustained a high level strategic dialogue for more than a year. During the Kargil war of 1999, the United States displayed an unprecedented sensitivity to India's security concerns. New Delhi and Washington, both key targets of terrorism, have formed a joint working group on the issue. The United States remains India's largest trading partner, and Indians played a vital role in making U.S. industry Y2K compliant. The extremely successful Indian expatriate community in the US. is playing an increasing role in bringing the two nons together.

As a U.S. President visits India after more than two decades, Engaged Democracies: India-U.S. Relations in the 21st Century explores the multi dimensional relationship between India and the U.S. With a shared commitment to democratic and secular values, growing economic interdependence and signs of convergence on key strategic issues, India and the United States are poised to emerge as key partners in the 21st century. Engaged Democracies takes stock of this bilateral relationship and charts a course for the future.