Leveraging U.S.-Indian Ties to Compete with China
Abstract
The 2022 National Security Strategy labels China as Americas pacing challenge and India is in a unique position to affect that competition. Despite a rocky history, India and the U.S. have grown much closer in recent years, most notably with Quad memberships. However, India is not Japan or Australia regarding capabilities or, more importantly, interests. While India will likely continue its non-aligned policies, it has the potential to greatly aid U.S. efforts, though differently than other regional partners. Short of armed conflict, India will soon become the worlds most populous country and has a massive economy to back it which gives India the potential to further shift the balance of power in Asia. The U.S. should help India grow and prosper to compete with China by giving another general economic option, including defense industry, and security partner. India's non-aligned position could open diplomatic opportunities to reach politically unsavory nations and its value of international organizations ensure reasonable alignment of national interests. If the U.S. can foster its revived Indian relations, it will compound Chinas security dilemma and increase its risk associated with further aggressive actions in the region.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 30, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1209286
Entities
People
- Jon Clausen
Organizations
- Naval War College