National Defence Authorisation Act News

US Congress passed a $700-billion defence bill on Nov 14 Earlier version linked Pak aid with demonstrable action against LeT Pentagon said fight against Taliban must be top priority

The Pentagon has been asked by a key Senate panel to identify ways so that India can play a larger role in providing increased and coordinated defence- related support to war-torn Afghanistan.

The US National Defence Authorisation Act, or NDAA, for the fiscal year 2017 was passed by the House of Representatives yesterday.

India on Thursday downplayed the US Senate rejecting a key amendment recognising the country as "global strategic and defence partner", saying it would be "premature" to speculate about its final content.

The Senate bill, as passed, asks the Secretary of Defence to ensure that the India-US co-operation are at a level appropriate to enhance engagement between the militaries of the two countries. 

A legislative amendment has been moved in the US Senate to bring the defence sales with India at par with America's close allies and NATO members.

The United States Senate Armed Services Committee approved a proposal to set up a new fund to reimburse Pakistan for its efforts in the war against terror, which also delinks the country from Afghanistan.

A Senate panel has approved a legislation which blocks USD 300 million US military aid to Pakistan unless the Defence Secretary certifies to the Congress that Islamabad is taking "demonstrable" steps against the Haqqani terror network.

The US House of Representatives has okayed a bipartisan legislative move to bolster defence ties with India.

The amendment has strong bipartisan support in the House of Representatives, as demonstrated by the fact that the House India Caucus Chairs (Congressmen Holding and Bera) sponsored it along with the Chair and Ranking Member of House Foreign Affairs Committee (Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel, respectively).