[ti:Obama Visit Aims to Increase US-India Partnership] [ar:Bob Doughty] [al:In The News] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]From VOA Learning English, this is In The News. [00:10.11]This weekend, President Barack Obama [00:13.39]is set to make his second trip to India since taking office. [00:18.17]The president will attend India's Republic Day celebrations on Monday. [00:23.91]The event includes a military parade [00:27.42]and a public showing of Indian weaponry. [00:30.70]Experts say the parade may be symbolic of Mr. Obama's visit. [00:36.72]The American leader is to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. [00:42.79]They are expected to discuss increasing defense [00:47.41]and security ties between the two countries. [00:51.17]Defense and trade cooperation [00:54.65]between the two has been increasing in recent years. [00:59.58]In 2013, [01:01.84]the United States overtook Russia [01:05.16]as the largest arms supplier to India, [01:08.64]which has spent billions of dollars [01:11.83]to modernize its armed forces. [01:14.72]India takes part in more joint military exercises [01:20.15]with U.S. forces than any other country. [01:24.39]Some observers say Mr. Modi [01:27.88]wants to build an even stronger relationship with the United States. [01:32.86]C. Raja Mohan works at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. [01:39.55]He expects the two sides to begin work [01:43.94]on what he calls "a genuine strategic partnership" [01:48.03]with far-reaching agreements. [01:51.21]"You have now a government here in Delhi [01:54.01]that is prepared to walk the full distance with the U.S., [01:57.19]and the U.S., too, [01:58.59]I think, has sensed the new opportunity in India." [02:01.28]During Mr. Obama's visit, [02:03.27]Indian and U.S. officials are expected to re-state support [02:09.10]for a defense cooperation agreement that ends this June. [02:13.86]They have also been working to finalize agreements [02:18.91]that could lead to U.S. companies [02:21.76]producing some military equipment in India. [02:25.69]The Indian government wants American companies [02:30.47]to produce more weapons at home [02:33.21]under what are known as technology transfer agreements. [02:38.43]But that would not be easy. [02:40.83]The United States has many rules [02:44.42]on limiting movement of sensitive technology. [02:48.45]Bharat Karnad is a security expert [02:52.43]at New Delhi's Center for Policy Research. [02:55.92]He does not expect major outcomes from Mr. Obama's visit. [03:01.43]He thinks India will not be satisfied [03:05.08]with what the U.S. offers [03:08.06]on technology transfers of military equipment. [03:12.24]"As I see it, it is going to be more platitudes, [03:16.82]more instruments being created, [03:18.97]more committees being set up, [03:20.71]but nothing really there on the ground, [03:23.49]in terms of both countries being satisfied [03:26.99]with something substantive and hefty." [03:30.47]Experts say it will take time for the two countries [03:34.85]to build trust in some areas. [03:38.28]But they are moving closer because of security issues. [03:43.72]Chintamani Mahapatra is with New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University. [03:50.79]He says both sides are concerned about [03:55.02]signs of a more aggressive China [03:57.31]and possible unrest in Afghanistan [04:00.95]after withdrawal of Western troops. [04:03.84]"Indians and Americans [04:05.40]have been quarrelling over economic issues, [04:07.04]IPR (intellectual property rights) issues, [04:08.63]dumping issues, etc., etc., and, of course, [04:11.96]on critical areas of foreign affairs, [04:14.30]like Pakistan and Iran and China, [04:16.63]the two countries do not agree 100 percent. [04:20.12]But in matters of defense and security cooperation, [04:23.27]there is hardly any dispute. [04:25.21]The idea is to have a good, [04:28.10]positive win-win balance of power in Asia." [04:31.78]During his first visit to India in 2010, [04:35.88]President Obama told Indian lawmakers [04:39.32]that the relationship between the two countries [04:42.76]will be the "defining partnership of the 21st century." [04:47.54]There is hope that this visit will re-energize that partnership. [04:53.13]And that's In The News from VOA Learning English. [04:59.41]I'm Bob Doughty. [05:01.28]¸ü¶àÌýÁ¦Çë·ÃÎÊ51voa.com