Sujan Chinoy writes: New America-India partnership opens up the potential for a multi-polar Asia

Source– The post is based on the article “Sujan Chinoy writes: New America-India partnership opens up the potential for a multi-polar Asia” published in “The Indian Express” on 11th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Regional and global groupings

Relevance: SCO

News- The membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is growing. Iran is the newest entrant at the just-concluded 23rd leaders’ summit in New Delhi.

What are the reasons behind the increasing closeness between India and the US?

India’s realization of its potential heavily relies on a closer partnership, particularly in high-tech sectors, with the United States. The US cannot effectively establish a multi-polar Asia without a strong and resilient relationship with India.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit is expected to influence the evolving geo-economic and geo-strategic dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region.

Over fifty years ago, communist China benefited from advanced US technologies. However, this dynamic shifted when China began challenging US dominance.

Importantly, the two countries lacked shared values. In contrast, the close partnership between democratic India and democratic US is more viable and sustainable in the long term.

Why have some voices expressed concern over enthusiasm in the US for closer partnership with India?

Despite significant efforts from the United States, India cannot become a true ally or a significant strategic partner.

Notion of shared values is empty, lacking any substantial alignment in this regard. India’s perceived neutrality in the Ukraine crisis and allegations of democratic regression have become convenient grounds for criticism.

Why do these concerns have no solid basis?

[Text Wrapping Break]Shared values are not the sole determining factor in shaping US foreign policy. The US has established treaty alliances and security partnerships with various authoritarian regimes across the globe.

In Latin America, the US has maintained strategic ties with a range of fascist and military regimes, including leaders like Fulgencio Batista in Cuba, General Pinochet in Chile.

Similar alliances can be found with several Gulf monarchies. US policy towards these countries has been primarily driven by US interests, rather than shared values.

Neither its political system of China nor the Tiananmen Square incident in 1989 hindered Western democracies from engaging with China. In contrast, India is the world’s most populous democracy and a credible representative of the Global South.

President Biden and the US government have consistently highlighted India’s democratic credentials.

It was evident from the joint statement released during Prime Minister Modi’s visit. It underscores values such as freedom, democracy, human rights, inclusion, pluralism, and equal opportunities as areas of common ground.

What is the potential of a bilateral relationship between India and the US?

[Text Wrapping Break]The convergence between India and the US today is rooted in the evolving geopolitical landscape and the emerging threats posed by authoritarian states.

Both countries believe that coercion and bullying have no place in international relations. Working towards stability and multi-polarity in Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region is a shared objective.

India and the US do not need to be formal treaty allies for upholding a rules-based international order. Even with some differences on current global order and reform of multilateral institutions, a deeper partnership is possible.