Washington, June 15

The Senate has failed to recognise India as a “global strategic and defence partner” of the US after a key amendment necessary to modify its export control regulations could not be passed.A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent address to a joint session of Congress, top Republican senator John McCain had moved an amendment to the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA-17), which if passed would have recognised India as a global strategic and defence partner.The US had recognised India as a “major defence partner” after Modi held talks with President Barack Obama, which supported defence-related trade and technology transfer to the country which would now be treated on par with America’s closest allies.NDAA was passed by the Senate with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 85-13. But some of the key amendments, including the (SA 4618), could not be passed.The McCain amendment asked the President for actions as may be necessary “to recognise the status of India as a global strategic and defence partner” of the United States through appropriate modifications to defence export control regulations.It also asked the President to approve and facilitate the transfer of advanced technology in the context of combined military planning for missions such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter piracy, and maritime domain awareness. — PTI