Says an Indian official: "We’ll be planning together, executing together and trying to understand each other." Although Indian officials are calling it a "coalition exercise", others say that India is being wooed by the US to establish closer military ties. While there are many firsts in the military bash, the most interesting are the political implications. The invitation itself is significant. Given the recurring friction between the US and France over how to handle, expand and hone nato’s future role, Washington is building new allies who can be called in to help. It is no secret that the Pentagon would like India to take on more responsibilities on the world stage, especially in light of New Delhi’s desire to be a global player.
The Pentagon would like to develop "inter-operability" or the ability for the two sides to work their equipment and systems together. Currently, there is little inter-operability because India uses mostly Russian equipment. There is a growing realisation that India could be a vital ally of the future, both militarily and politically.
