Expressing the sense of the Senate on the importance of the United States-India strategic partnership and the continued deepening of bilateral ties with India. 

Expressing the sense of the Senate on the importance of the United States-India strategic partnership and the continued deepening of bilateral ties with India. Whereas the United States-India relationship is built on mutual respect for common values, including democracy, the rule of law, a market economy, and ethnic and religious diversity, and bolstered by strong people-to-people ties, including a 3,000,000-strong Indian American diaspora; Whereas the Senate places tremendous value on the relationship with India, and the bipartisan Senate India Caucus comprises 40 Senators and is the largest bilateral caucus in the Senate; Whereas the United States and India have a unique opportunity, in the early days of the new administration in India, to refresh the United States-India relationship and work cooperatively to make progress that will benefit both of our countries in a broad range of areas, including education, skills development, infrastructure, and energy; Whereas a strong economic partnership between India and the United States requires a mutual respect for innovation; Whereas an investment environment that fosters continued research and development and the bilateral relationship between the United States and India has resulted in almost $100,000,000,000 in trade of goods and services in 2013; Whereas the United States-India relationship is vital to promoting stability, democracy, and economic prosperity in the 21st century; Whereas defense and security ties have led to nearly $10,000,000,000 in defense trade, and the United States-India Defense Trade and Technology Initiative has facilitated greater cooperation on joint development of defense platforms; Whereas counterterrorism cooperation is a growing and important aspect of the partnership given the terrorist threats faced by both countries, including from groups such as al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba; Whereas the United States values Indias role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region and promoter of regional stability and maritime security in the Asian Pacific region; and Whereas India is a close partner of the United States in Afghanistan, has committed over $2,000,000,000 in development assistance, and shares the United States goal of a stable, democratic, and prosperous Afghanistan; Now, therefore, be it It is the sense of the Senate that (1) Prime Minister Narenda Modi should be able to address the United States Congress at the earliest opportunity; (2) the United States Government should develop a clear strategic plan for its relationship with India and hold a robust strategic dialogue in New Delhi that lays out clear objectives and deliverables to set a positive trajectory for the relationship and moves from dialogue to action to build a path forward for more ambitious cooperation; (3) the United States nominate and confirm an Ambassador to India as soon as possible; (4) the United States and India should continue to expand economic engagement, including finalizing a bilateral investment treaty and reviving the Trade Policy Forum; (5) the United States Government should urge the Government of India to continue with its economic liberalization reforms, including lifting the caps on foreign direct investment and taking steps to enhance protections for intellectual property, and consider discussions with other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum nations about Indian membership in APEC; (6) the United States and India should expand energy cooperation, by India fully implementing the 2008 civil nuclear pact, and the United States pursuing increased export of liquefied natural gas to India; (7) the United States and India should continue to deepen defense and security cooperation, to include expanded joint exercises and training, sales and co-production, holding a 2+2 (8) the United States Government should urge the Government of India to modify its offset regime so funds can flow to a second tier of Indian priorities such as education, skills development, or manufacturing.

Summary: Expresses the sense of the Senate that: Prime Minister Narenda Modi of India should address Congress at the earliest opportunity; the U.S. government should hold a strategic dialogue in New Delhi that lays out clear objectives for the U.S.-India relationship; the United States nominate and confirm an Ambassador to India as soon as possible; the United States and India should continue to expand economic engagement, including finalizing a bilateral investment treaty and reviving the Trade Policy Forum; India should continue its economic liberalization reforms, including discussions with other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum nations about Indian membership in APEC; the United States and India should expand energy, defense, and security cooperation; and India should modify its offset regime so funds can flow to a second tier of Indian priorities such as education, skills development, or manufacturing.