Risk Worth Taking: Rethinking India's Position within the Unified Command Plan

摘要

This paper argues that the current boundaries of the UCP should be adjusted to allow U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to share in nurturing the military aspect of the regional partnership with India. The convergence of interests between New Delhi and Washington on issues relating to Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as India's growing influence with the Afghan population offers the real possibility of significant short term benefits to U.S. objectives within the CENTCOM area of operations. CENTCOM's direct involvement with India on such matters will help build the foundation for closer cooperation in the future. In making this argument, this paper emphasizes the historic security nexus linking India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan together as well as the overwhelming value of the U.S.-Indian partnership that outweigh the risks involved in adjusting the UCP boundaries. The recommendation is for establishing a shared responsibility for India between CENTCOM and PACOM that is based on functional domains (land and maritime) and separate sets of national interests that, while different, complement each other in the short and long terms.