S.Amdt. 4618

SA 4618. Mr. McCAIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle F of title XII, add the following:

[[Page S3731]]

SEC. 1247. DEFENSE AND SECURITY COOPERATION WITH INDIA.

(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The United States and India face mutual security
threats, and a robust defense partnership is in the interest
of both countries.
(2) The relationship between the United States and India
has developed over the past two decades to become a
multifaceted, global strategic and defense partnership rooted
in shared democratic values and the promotion of mutual
prosperity, greater economic cooperation, regional peace,
security, and stability.
(3) In 2012, the Department of Defense began an initiative
to increase senior-level oversight and engagement on defense
cooperation between the United States and India, which is
referred to as the ``U.S.-India Defense Technology and Trade
Initiative'' (DTTI).
(4) On June 3, 2015, the Government of the United States
and the Government of India entered into an executive
agreement, entitled ``Framework for the U.S.-India Defense
Relationship'', which renewed and updated the previous
defense framework agreement between the United States and
India, executed on June 28, 2005.
(5) Consistent with the Framework for the U.S.-India
Defense Relationship and the goals of the U.S.-India Defense
Technology and Trade Initiative, improving defense
cooperation, achieving greater interaction between the
military forces of both countries, increasing the flow of
technology and investment, developing capabilities and
partnership in co-development and co-production, and
strengthening two-way defense trade are in the national
security interests of the United States.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the defense partnership between the United States and
India is vital to regional and international stability and
security;
(2) the national security interests of the United States
can be furthered by advancing the goals of the Framework for
the U.S.-India Defense Relationship and the effective
operation of the U.S.-India Defense Technology and Trade
Initiative; and
(3) the commitment of the President to enhancing defense
and security cooperation with India should be considered a
priority in advancing the interests of the United States in
South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
(c) Required Actions.--The President shall take such
actions as may be necessary--
(1) to recognize the status of India as a global strategic
and defense partner of the United States through appropriate
modifications to defense export control regulations;
(2) to approve and facilitate the transfer of advanced
technology in the context of, and in order to satisfy,
combined military planning with the India military for
missions such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,
counter piracy, and maritime domain awareness;
(3) to strengthen the effectiveness of the U.S.-India
Defense Technology and Trade Initiative and the durability of
the ``India Rapid Reaction Cell'' of the Department of
Defense;
(4) to resolve issues impeding defense trade, security
cooperation, and co-production and co-development
opportunities between the United States and India;
(5) to collaborate with the Government of India to develop
mutually agreeable mechanisms to verify the security of
defense technology information and equipment, such as
tailored cyber security and end-use monitoring arrangements;
(6) to promote policies that will encourage the efficient
review and authorization of defense sales and exports to
India, including the treatment of military sales and export
authorizations to India in a manner similar to that of the
closest defense partners of the United States;
(7) to pursue greater government-to-government and
commercial military transactions between the United States
and India; and
(8) to support the development and alignment of the export
control and procurement regimes of India with those of the
United States and multilateral control regimes.
(d) Bilateral Coordination.--The President is encouraged to
coordinate with the Government of India on an ongoing basis--
(1) to develop and keep updated military contingency plans
for addressing threats to the mutual security interests of
both countries;
(2) to develop combined military plans for missions such as
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime domain
awareness, freedom of navigation, and other missions in the
national security interests of both countries; and
(3) to work toward actions and joint efforts, such as
significant contributions to ongoing global conflicts, that
would allow the United States to treat India the same as its
closest partners and allies with respect to United States
laws and regulations.
(e) Assessment Required.--
(1) In general.--The President shall, on an ongoing basis,
carry out an assessment of the extent to which India
possesses capabilities to execute military operations of
mutual interest between the United States and India.
(2) Use of assessment.--The President shall ensure that the
assessment described in paragraph (1) is used to inform the
review by the United States of applications to export defense
articles, defense services, or technical data to India under
the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.).
______