Recalibrating the India–U.S. Strategic Partnership

GS2 – International Relations

Context:

Amid evolving U.S. policies and geopolitical priorities, India–U.S. relations have encountered fresh challenges. A strategic reassessment is essential to safeguard mutual trust and ensure sustained alignment in the long term.

Reasons for Tensions in Bilateral Relations

• Transactional vs. Strategic Mindsets:
  The U.S. often engages in short-term, deal-oriented diplomacy, while India emphasizes civilisational ties and enduring partnerships. This difference, particularly evident during Donald Trump’s unpredictable tenure, created unease in New Delhi’s strategic circles.
• Resurfacing of India–Pakistan Linkage:
  Actions like President Trump’s comments after Operation Sindoor, which placed India and Pakistan on the same plane, signaled a regression to the outdated “hyphenation” approach in U.S. foreign policy.
• Mixed Economic Messaging:
  While the U.S. has voiced support for India’s role in the Indo-Pacific, contradictory signals—such as discouraging Apple’s manufacturing shift to India—raise doubts about the credibility of that support.
• Immigration-Related Tensions:
  Tighter H-1B visa norms strain the technology ecosystem and undermine a key pillar of bilateral cooperation—innovation and skilled migration.
• Strategic Disconnect:
  India’s sovereign, multipolar foreign policy is often misread by Washington as indecisiveness or lack of commitment, rather than strategic autonomy.

Note: Hyphenation refers to the practice of the U.S. treating India and Pakistan as a combined concern in foreign policy, rather than engaging with each on its own merit.

Consequences of This Strain

• Undermining India’s Global Position:
  Reintroducing parity with Pakistan diminishes India’s growing global stature and independent identity in international affairs.
• Weakening Defence Trust:
  U.S. gestures—like welcoming Pakistan’s military leadership or CENTCOM’s public praise—raise questions about the depth of the India–U.S. security partnership.
• Concerns on Counterterrorism Cooperation:
  Continued U.S. engagement with Pakistan, despite its history of backing cross-border terrorism, generates skepticism in India regarding America’s counterterrorism commitments.
• Over-Reliance on Familiar Patterns:
  The U.S. appears to revert to traditional familiarity with Pakistan, overlooking its duplicity, especially evident in Afghanistan.

CENTCOM: U.S. Central Command is responsible for American military operations across the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia, including Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Strategies to Strengthen and Stabilize Relations

• Measured and Principled Engagement:
  India should avoid reactive diplomacy and instead focus on issue-based cooperation—particularly in defence, the Quad, and intelligence sharing—while maintaining a clear, consistent diplomatic tone.
• Widen U.S. Engagement Channels:
  Strengthening ties with U.S. lawmakers, policy think tanks, and the influential Indian-American community can help ensure bipartisan and sustainable support.
• Rebuild Economic Trust:
  Negotiating incremental but impactful trade agreements and urging the U.S. to address immigration and investment-related apprehensions can renew economic confidence.
• Promote Shared Democratic Values:
  Shifting the narrative from merely balancing China to building a democratic, rule-based Indo-Pacific order offers a positive, value-driven vision.
• Reframe Skilled Migration:
  Position H-1B visas not as concessions, but as vital enablers of innovation and economic synergy.
• Focus on Joint Innovation:
  Collaborate on emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, and sustainable energy to make co-innovation a cornerstone of the partnership.