ABSTRACT
The United States engaged significantly in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and with India itself, during the early twenty-first century, and the demand for improved US-Indian defence and naval relations is accelerating. The Indian Navy and military more generally, face very high barriers to closer cooperation because of political traditions. In the modern state system, maintenance of freedom of the seas has, generally, fallen to the large naval powers. The United States and India have moved to a much closer level of formal cooperation and consultation than at any time during the Cold War. Both US and Indian analysts argue that the defence sector represents one of the most promising areas for joint cooperation. Maritime incidents are becoming more common, including a recent near-collision between a People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel and a US cruiser. The range of anticipated outcomes in the United States is quite broad, and frequently unrealistic.
