21 March 2025 : Daily Answer Writing

Q1) Examine the influence of human rights issues and democratic values on the diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and India. How have these concerns affected bilateral engagements and what can be done to mitigate tensions arising from these issues? (15 marks, 250 words)

ANSWER

India and USA are the largest and oldest democracies in the world respectively. The diplomatic relations between the two nations are driven by values of democracies and respect for human rights. These two impact the trajectory of relationship as both these values are highly regarded in both nations. All pillars of diplomatic relationship between the USA and India are dependent upon the status of democratic values and human rights in both countries.

IMPACT AND INFLUENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES AND DEMOCRATIC VALUES BETWEEN INDIA AND THE USA

1. Both India and USA find commonality in democratic values like democratic governance, freedom of speech and expression, and rule of law, building a strong foundation for bilateral relationships.
2. Democratic values also forge India-USA partnership in other areas of cooperation like security, defense, etc. For example, democracy is one of the major planks of India-US partnership in IOR.
3. People-to-people ties have benefited from the shared values pillar, which has facilitated the movement of people, knowledge production, cultural connections, and civil society interaction among other things. For example, due to India’s position as a non-violator of human rights, the USA has remained a strong acceptor of the Indian diaspora.
4. Due to strong human rights and democratic values, USA has made special exceptions for India (example, US-India Nuclear Deal, no Sanctions on S-400 and Iran Oil). This is due to the inherent goodness of the Indian image.
5. Investors have placed trust in democratic engines of growth which impacts the FDI and FPI movements between India and USA.
6. The U.S. has perceived India as a different power than, say, China, in no small part because it is seen as a democracy, and consequently supported it in organizations such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group and, more recently, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

CONCERNS BETWEEN INDIA AND USA 

1. Both the countries have frequently raised their concerns about the human

rights and democratic values in each other’s territories. The US has raised concerns about human rights, religious intolerance and press freedom in India, while India has raised concerns about prevalent hate crimes and ill-treatment of migrants in the USA. For example, USCIRF has expressed concerns over India’s religious freedom, recommending sanctions and raising issues in congressional hearings.

2. Both the countries have pressed upon these issues in UNGA meetings and other global platforms thereby highlighting these issues on the global scale. For example, India made a statement on rising gun-violence in the USA while the USA raised the issue of press freedom in India in Vietnam post G20.
3. These issues have played a very important role in marking the trajectory of bilateral relationships between these countries especially in the fields of peace and security, economic relations and development cooperation. For example, the case of Khalistani extremists has impacted India-US security relations.
4. These issues have created space for the USA to interfere in internal matters of India which has been consistently an irritating factor between the two countries. For example, USA’s comments on Manipur and CAA protests.

HOW THESE CONCERNS AFFECTED BILATERAL ENGAGEMENT

1. Cultural Ties: Human rights issues have created contentions between people-people ties leading to erosion of mutual trust between two nations. For example, the recent khalistan issue.
2. New Allies: These concerns have led to movement of both countries towards new allies. For example, India is moving towards Russia while the USA is looking for diverse alliances in IOR.
3. Use of International Fora: Both countries are using international fora like G7, G20, UNGA for raising such issues.
4. Diplomatic Dialogue: These issues have affected diplomatic engagement. For example, USA’s reluctance to India in Afghanistan issue.
5. Spillover Effects: These issues also have issues in other areas of engagements like security alliances, defence, etc. For example, USA’s threat of sanctions when India signed the S-400 deal.
6. H1-B Concerns: These issues also reflect on the USA’s reluctance in issuing H1-B visas.

HOW TO MITIGATE SUCH ISSUES

1. Regular Dialogues: Establishing regular, high-level dialogues focused on human rights and democratic values can help address concerns constructively. For example, creating a bilateral human rights dialogue platform to discuss and resolve issues amicably.
2. People-to-People Ties: Enhancing people-to-people exchanges,  including academic, cultural, and civil society interactions, can build mutual understanding and mitigate tensions. For example, academic exchanges and civil society collaborations that promote a deeper understanding of each other’s democratic institutions and human rights challenges
3. Respect for Internal Policies: Both countries need to balance their concerns about human rights with respect for each other’s sovereignty and internal policy decisions. For example, the U.S. could adopt a more nuanced approach in its human rights critiques, recognizing India’s unique sociopolitical context, while India could engage more openly with international human rights mechanisms.
4. Incentivizing Improvements: Rather than punitive measures, positive reinforcement such as economic incentives or increased cooperation in response to human rights improvements can be more effective.
5. Collaborative Efforts: Joint projects aimed at addressing human rights issues, such as initiatives to improve women’s rights, combat trafficking, or promote religious tolerance, can enhance cooperation.

Human rights issues and democratic values significantly influence the U.S.-India

diplomatic relationship, both as points of convergence and contention. While these concerns have occasionally strained bilateral engagements, they also provide opportunities for deeper cooperation and mutual learning.

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