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Jun 3, 2026
Brahma Chellaney
While the US views India as a counterweight to China in Asia, it balks at the idea of Indian regional dominance, preferring a pluralistic order. The Trump administration has gone further by pursuing close ties with Pakistan, apparently hoping that the US and India can remain global partners.
NEW DELHI—On his recent visit to India, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio predictably touted India as one of America’s “most important strategic partners,” citing the two countries’ shared values, “people-to-people ties,” and strategic alignment on “all of the key issues that will define the new century.” But this familiar language of partnership rings increasingly hollow.
