I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6506 
To provide for United States actions to advance the United States-India 
strategic relationship. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 25, 2018 
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. HOLDING, Ms. GABBARD, 
and Mr. BERA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To provide for United States actions to advance the United 
States-India strategic relationship. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States-India 
Enhanced Cooperation Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The turmoil in the world poses a serious 
threat to United States national security interests 
and requires cooperation with allies and friendly na-
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tions that are willing to work with the United States 
in pursuit of shared objectives. 
(2) The June 7, 2016, paragraph 17 of the 
India-United States Joint Statement entitled ‘‘The 
United States and India: Enduring Global Partners 
in the 21st Century’’, notes that the United States- 
India defense relationship can be an anchor of sta-
bility, and given the increasingly strengthened co-
operation in defense, the United States recognized 
India as a Major Defense Partner. 
(3) As such, the United States committed to 
continue to work toward facilitating technology shar-
ing with and transfer of advanced strategic military 
capability to India on a level commensurate with 
that of its closest allies and partners. The leaders of 
the two countries reached an understanding under 
which India would receive license-free access to a 
wide range of dual-use technologies in conjunction 
with steps that India has committed to take to ad-
vance its export control objectives. 
(4) As such, in support of India’s initiative to 
develop a domestic defense industrial capability and 
to support integration into the global supply chain, 
the United States committed to continuing to facili-
tate the export of goods and technologies, consistent 
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with United States law, for projects, programs and 
joint ventures in support of official United States- 
India defense and security cooperation. 
(5) Section 1292 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (22 U.S.C. 
2751 note), relating to enhancing defense and secu-
rity cooperation with India, requests that the Sec-
retary of Defense and Secretary of State jointly take 
such actions as may be necessary to recognize In-
dia’s status as a major defense partner of the 
United States, consistent with the June 7, 2016, 
India-United States Joint Statement. 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States— 
(1) to approve and facilitate the transfer of ad-
vanced technology and strategic capability, con-
sistent with United States conventional arms trans-
fer policy, to support combined military planning 
with India for missions such as humanitarian assist-
ance and disaster relief, counter piracy, freedom of 
navigation, and maritime domain awareness mis-
sions, and to promote weapons systems interoper-
ability; 
(2) to reassure India that the United States 
recognizes the importance of security of supply for 
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major defense capabilities acquired from the United 
States and its industries, and as such will endeavor, 
consistent with United States law, to not disrupt 
such supply; 
(3) to collaborate with the Government of India 
in developing mutually agreeable mechanisms to 
verify the security of defense articles, defense serv-
ices, and related technology, such as appropriate 
cyber security and end-use monitoring arrange-
ments, consistent with United States export control 
laws and policy; 
(4) to promote policies that will encourage the 
efficient review and authorization of defense sales 
and export to India; and 
(5) to continue to enhance defense and security 
cooperation with India in order to advance United 
States interests in the South Asia and greater Indo- 
Asia-Pacific regions. 
SEC. 4. UNITED STATES ACTIONS TO ADVANCE THE UNITED 
STATES-INDIA STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the United States should take the following ac-
tions to advance the United States-India strategic rela-
tionship: 
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(1) Seek to enhance the capabilities of the 
United States and India to address emerging com-
mon threats, increase security cooperation, and ex-
pand joint military exercises. 
(2) Encourage and facilitate the role as priority 
partners in the South Asia and greater Indo-Asia- 
Pacific regions. 
(3) Support the mutual interest in maritime se-
curity and maritime domain awareness, as well as 
enhanced military cooperation in joint exercises, 
training, and humanitarian assistance and disaster 
relief. 
(4) Conduct a joint assessment, led by the Sec-
retary of State in partnership with the Secretary of 
Defense, of the extent to which India possesses ca-
pabilities to support and carry out military oper-
ations of mutual interest to the United States and 
India, including an assessment of the defense export 
control regulations and policies that need appro-
priate modification, in recognition of India’s capa-
bilities and its status as a major defense partner. 
(b) USE OF ASSESSMENT.—The Secretary of State 
shall ensure that the assessment described in subsection 
(a)(4) is used, consistent with United States conventional 
arms transfer policy, to inform the review by the United 
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States of requests to export defense articles, defense serv-
ices, or related technology to India under the Arms Export 
Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), and to inform any 
regulatory and policy adjustments that may be appro-
priate. 
(c) FOREIGN MILITARY SALES AND EXPORT STATUS 
UNDER ARMS EXPORT CONTROL ACT.—The Arms Ex-
port Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) 
in 
sections 
3(d)(2)(B), 
3(d)(3)(A)(i), 
3(d)(5), 21(e)(2)(A), 36(b)(1), 36(b)(2), 36(b)(6), 
36(c)(2)(A), 36(c)(5), 36(d)(2)(A), 62(c)(1), and 
63(a)(2), by inserting ‘‘India,’’ before ‘‘or New Zea-
land’’ each place it appears; 
(2) in section 3(b)(2), by inserting ‘‘the Govern-
ment of India,’’ before ‘‘or the Government of New 
Zealand’’; and 
(3) in sections 21(h)(1)(A) and 21(h)(2), by in-
serting ‘‘India,’’ before ‘‘or Israel’’ each place it ap-
pears. 
Æ 
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