; and (5) to continue to enhance defense and security cooperation with India in order to advance United States interests in the South Asia and greater Indo-Asia-Pacific regions. 4. United States actions to advance the United States-India strategic relationship (a) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the United States should take the following actions to advance the United States-India strategic relationship: (1) Seek to enhance the capabilities of the United States and India to address emerging common threats, increase security cooperation, and expand joint military exercises. (2) Encourage and facilitate the role as priority partners in the South Asia and greater Indo-Asia-Pacific regions. (3) Support the mutual interest in maritime security and maritime domain awareness, as well as enhanced military cooperation in joint exercises, training, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. (4) Conduct a joint assessment, led by the Secretary of State in partnership with the Secretary of Defense, of the extent to which India possesses capabilities to support and carry out military operations of mutual interest to the United States and India, including an assessment of the defense export control regulations and policies that need appropriate modification, in recognition of India’s capabilities and its status as a major defense partner. (b) Use of assessment The Secretary of State shall ensure that the assessment described in subsection (a)(4) is used, consistent with United States conventional arms transfer policy, to inform the review by the United States of requests to export defense articles, defense services, or related technology to India under the Arms Export Control Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), and to inform any regulatory and policy adjustments that may be appropriate. (c) Foreign military sales and export status under arms export control act The Arms Export Control Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) is amended— (1) in sections 3(d)(2)(B), 3(d)(3)(A)(i), 3(d)(5), 21(e)(2)(A), 36(b)(1),