Source: The post India and the United States must rebuild lost trust has been created, based on the article “Resetting the India-U.S. partnership in uncertain times” published in “The Hindu” on 19th June 2025
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-International Relations
Context: Once seen as a defining 21st-century partnership rooted in democratic values and strategic convergence, India-U.S. ties now face a subtle but serious drift. This shift, triggered by conflicting diplomatic signals and policy incoherence, threatens a rare opportunity for deep, long-term cooperation.
Signs of Strategic Drift
- Rhetorical Shifts and Diplomatic Hyphenation: Recent U.S. statements have revived old habits of equating India with Pakistan. Trump’s comments after Operation Sindoor, his Kashmir mediation offer, and nuclear warnings were seen as regressive. This undermines India’s long-standing efforts to de-hyphenate its rise from the India-Pakistan binary.
- Mixed Economic Messaging: Despite claims of a completed China deal, Trump discouraged Apple’s CEO from expanding in India. He warned that firms investing in India might face U.S. market access issues. This contradicts India’s “China-plus-one” pitch and weakens its manufacturing hub image.
- Visa Uncertainty and Innovation Disconnect: The H-1B visa regime, central to tech ties, now faces protectionist rhetoric. This threatens links between Silicon Valley and Indian innovation. The erosion of such collaboration endangers a key pillar of bilateral cooperation.
- Warmer U.S. Signals to Pakistan: General Kurilla’s statement calling Pakistan a “phenomenal partner” in counterterrorism, along with Trump hosting its army chief, blurs counter-terror partnership lines. These moves unsettle India and reflect outdated U.S. security preferences.
Understanding the Causes
- Transactional Versus Strategic Cultures: India follows a patient, layered, civilisational approach to strategy. The U.S., under Trump, prioritises quick, transactional deals. His unpredictable style—part showman, part salesman—creates uncertainty and weakens partner confidence.
- Persistent U.S. Nostalgia for Pakistan: Some in the U.S. security establishment still see Pakistan as a familiar partner, especially for Afghanistan-related goals. Despite its record on cross-border terrorism, its utility is often overstated. India’s strategic autonomy is misread as indecision.
- Communication and Influence Gaps: India’s geopolitical rise outpaces its institutional influence in Washington. This causes misjudgments of its ambitions. Critics like Ashley Tellis claim India suffers from “great-power delusions,” but in reality, India’s approach reflects sovereignty and long-term vision—not confusion.
India’s Strategic Response
- Maintain Calm and Strategic Focus: India should avoid overreaction. Tactical irritants must not overshadow core alignments in defence, Quad, and intelligence sharing. Quiet and calibrated diplomacy should be prioritised.
- Widen Institutional Outreach in the U.S.: Engaging U.S. Congress, think tanks, and the Indian-American diaspora can strengthen strategic advocacy. Broader engagement is key to correcting misperceptions and fostering trust.
- Reform and Reframe Economic and Talent Strategy: India must push internal reforms and improve infrastructure to attract investment. The H-1B issue should be repositioned as mutual innovation, not a concession. Skilled mobility must support co-development of future technologies.
- View This Moment as a Stress Test: This drift is not a rupture. It is a stress test. The partnership’s true value lies in how it responds to strain—not just success. With a steady approach, renewal remains possible.
What the United States Must Do
- Let Go of Cold War Legacies: Viewing Indian manufacturing and mobility as threats is self-defeating. A stable Indo-Pacific needs real U.S. investment in India’s regional capacity-building.
- Renew the Moral Core of the Partnership: This relationship must rest on shared democratic ideals—not just countering China. The 2005 civil nuclear deal showed what trust can achieve. That spirit is needed again.
- Respect Strategic Autonomy and Diversity of Approach: India’s independent path shows strength, not fence-sitting. Accepting strategic diversity is key to rebuilding durable trust.
- Choose Renewal Over Rupture: This turbulence is not an endpoint. With candour and commitment, both nations can revive a partnership capable of reshaping the global democratic order.
Question for practice:
Examine the key factors contributing to the recent drift in India-U.S. relations and suggest how both countries can restore strategic trust.
