This maritime partnership is still a work in progress.

The docking of the US navy ship at Chennaimarks was influential in the India-U.S. maritime partnership.

Although bilateral strategic ties have advanced considerably between India and the US over the past decade, reciprocal repair of military vessels was still a milestone that had not been crossed.
With the arrival of the US naval ship at Chennai, India and the U.S. seem to have moved past a self-imposed restriction.

During the bilateral 2+2 dialogue held this year, the two countries (India and the US) agreed to explore the possibility of using Indian shipyards to repair and maintain ships of the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC).
The docking of a U.S. military vessel at an Indian facility has functional and geopolitical implications.
Functionally, it signals a more efficient leveraging of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA).
LEMOA is the military logistics agreement India signed with the U.S. in 2017.
Thus far, India-U.S. cooperation under the pact has been mainly confined to the exchange of fuel and stores during joint exercises and relief operations.
The template of logistics cooperation seems to have broadened with the arrival of a U.S. military vessel at an Indian dockyard.
There is a good possibility now that India will seek reciprocal access to repair facilities at U.S. bases in Asia and beyond.
India’s decision to open up repair facilities for the U.S. military suggests greater Indian readiness to accommodate the maritime interests of India’s Quad partners.
This is an incremental step forward in the U.S. moving to bolster its military presence in the Eastern Indian Ocean.
India’s offer of repair services for U.S. military vessels could kickstart a process that would culminate in India opening up its naval bases for friendly foreign warships.

Politically, the development is noteworthy, as it signals a consolidation of the India-U.S. partnership and the Quadrilateral (India, Japan, Australia, and the United States) Security Dialogue.

the India-U.S. partnership and the Quadrilateral (India, Japan, Australia, and the United States) Security Dialogue.
CMF cooperation

The Indian Navy has formally commenced its cooperation with the Bahrain-based multilateral partnership, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), as an ‘associate member’.
This comes months after India had announced its intention to join the grouping in furtherance of its regional security goals.
India’s political and military leadership are seeing this as a demonstration of Indian commitment towards the collective responsibility of ensuring security in the shared commons.

India considers the US as a source of the most modern weapons to ensure the security of the nation. For example , Chinooks.
India considers the US as one of the most profitable markets for Indian goods.
Presence of the Indian diaspora in the US.
US information companies consider India as a place to outsource services, which generates employment in India.
India considers the US as the source of the most advanced technology and civil nuclear energy technology.
For India, the US is a strong ally to check China’s rise.
Protection of India’s interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Foreign Direct Investment from the US.
To ensure regional security and counterterrorism.
US support for India’s membership in the United Nations Security Council.

The Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) between India and the United States aims to promote co-development and co-production initiatives.
The United States designated India as a “Major Defence Partner” in 2016, committing the US to enable technology sharing with India on a par with its closest friends and partners.
The Defence Framework Agreement:

GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement )-a military information agreement signed in 2002.
LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement)-logistics exchange agreement signed in 2016
COMCASA (communications security agreement) was signed in 2018
BECA (Basic Exchange Cooperation Agreement) was signed in 2020
Multilateral organisations:

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States that is maintained by talks between member countries.
The I2U2 Group is a grouping of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
The grouping aims to cooperate on “joint investments and new initiatives in water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security.”
Energy:

The bilateral Strategic Energy Partnership between the two countries, which was launched in 2018, is strong and diversified across conventional and renewable energy sources.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the US EXIM Bank and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) to offer US$ 1 billion in financing for India’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
Science and Technology:

Pic Courtesy: The Economic Times

Content Source: The Hindu