Over the decades, the geopolitical landscape between the United States and India has reached new heights. Though this partnership has garnered significant attention, it’s essential to recognize that India’s engagement with the U.S. is driven more by pragmatic considerations than by a deep-rooted alliance. The growing proximity between the two nations is largely a strategic move by India. India’s ultimate aim is to counter the rise of its neighbor, China, rather than to align wholesale with American interests. So, in a geopolitical context, the U.S.-India pact is driven by regional supremacy over a geopolitical rival.

India’s strategic alignment with the United States has been significantly influenced by the need to counterbalance China’s growing assertiveness in Asia. Over the past decade, China has expanded its influence through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and increased military activities in the South China Sea. Moreover, India is almost surrounded by China-friendly nations. This expansionist agenda has raised alarms in New Delhi, which sees a direct threat to its own regional dominance and security.

The Doklam standoff in 2017, where Indian and Chinese troops faced off at the Bhutan-China-India tri-junction, exposed the tangible nature of this threat. Subsequently, the deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley in 2020 highlighted the volatile state of Sino-Indian relations. These incidents have propelled India to seek stronger security and economic ties with the United States, a nation with the military and economic clout to counterbalance China.

India’s participation in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), which includes the U.S., Japan, and Australia, is a clear manifestation of this strategy. The Quad aims to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, implicitly countering China’s regional influence. India’s involvement in this group indicates its desire to leverage U.S. support to ensure regional stability and prevent any single power, particularly China, from dominating the Indo-Pacific region.

From the U.S. perspective, India represents a critical partner in its broader strategy to contain the influence of both China and Russia. The U.S. recognizes India’s strategic location, vast market, and growing military capabilities as valuable assets in maintaining a balance of power in Asia. In reality, India is the only state that can play a significant role in counterbalancing America’s geopolitical rivals.

Washington’s foreign policy under successive administrations emphasized counterterrorism in Asia. When Western nations were busy using hard power to neutralize terrorism, China was consistently influencing those destabilized nations by using its soft power policy. After two decades of the ‘War on Terror,’ the U.S. and its allies found zero-sum achievements and hostile postures from those affected nations. To cover up this time-lapse dent with geopolitical strategic engagement, India is considered an ideal ally to create a coalition that can present a united front against authoritarian regimes in Beijing and Moscow.

The United States has consistently encouraged India to align more closely with Western policies and perspectives on global issues. This alignment is not just about military cooperation but also involves economic policies, technological exchanges, and diplomatic stances. For instance, the U.S. has pushed for India’s inclusion in various international forums and supported its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Despite its growing ties with the United States, India has maintained a historically significant relationship with Russia. This bond dates back to the Cold War era when India, under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, pursued a policy of non-alignment but leaned towards the Soviet Union for support in key areas.

The strong bilateral relations between India and Russia have been evolving since the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation was signed in 1971. During the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, the Soviet Union’s diplomatic and military support was crucial for India’s diplomatic triumph over Pakistan. Subsequently, Russia has remained a vital source of defense equipment and technology for India. The BrahMos missile, a product of Indo-Russian collaboration, exemplifies the depth of their defense ties.

Even today, despite Western sanctions and international pressures, India continues to procure significant military hardware and crude oil from Russia. India’s Foreign Minister, Mr. Jaishankar, explicitly spelled out that India will prioritize its interests over geopolitical rivalries. This enduring relationship is rooted in trust and mutual benefit, making it challenging for India to completely pivot away from Russia in favor of U.S. interests.

The Indo-Pacific strategy is a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy aimed at countering China’s growing influence. The inclusion of India in this strategy is based on several factors. Firstly, India’s geographical location provides a strategic advantage in controlling key maritime routes in the Indian Ocean, through which a significant portion of global trade passes.

Secondly, India’s military capabilities and its role as an emerging regional power can assist in maintaining Western supremacy in this region. The U.S. views India as a counterweight to China’s military expansion and its assertive postures in South and Central Asia.

Thirdly, the democratic values shared by the U.S. and India form a basis for cooperation in promoting stability and governance in the region. The U.S. sees India as a partner in championing democracy and countering the influence of alternative regimes. The U.S. expects India to see China and Russia through Washington’s eyes.

Furthermore, the economic potential of India as a growing market and a hub for technological innovation aligns with the U.S. objective of creating a resilient supply chain that reduces dependence on China. The U.S.’s information technology sector is significantly dependent on Indian experts. The U.S. shares its military, surveillance, and intelligence technology with India, which paves the way to counter China’s psychological warfare.

India’s engagement with the United States is primarily driven by strategic necessity rather than a deep-seated alliance. The rise of China as a regional hegemon has pushed India closer to the U.S., but this relationship is not devoid of complexities. India’s historical ties with Russia and its pursuit of strategic autonomy suggest that it is not ready to fully align with any single power bloc.

The U.S. aims to integrate India into its Indo-Pacific strategy to counterbalance China and Russia, leveraging India’s strategic position and capabilities. However, India’s foreign policy will likely continue to be characterized by a careful balancing act, maintaining its traditional partnerships while exploring new ones to safeguard its national interests.

In essence, while the U.S. may see India as a crucial partner in its global strategy, India is not America’s ‘friend in need’ in the traditional sense. The relationship is one of mutual benefit and strategic pragmatism, reflecting the complex realities of contemporary geopolitics.

M A Hossain
The writer is a political and defense analyst based in Bangladesh. He `can be reached at writetomahossain@gmail.com