Washington DC [US], December 11 (ANI): Speaking at the House Foreign Affairs South and Central Asia Subcommittee hearing, “The US-India Strategic Partnership: Securing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director of Observer Research Foundation America, said India and the US have cooperated as the Indian Navy increased patrols and contributed to maritime burden sharing in the Indian Ocean and Pacific.
He warned that China has recently expanded and modernised its nuclear forces, undertaken a major naval buildup, and introduced new unmanned and cyber systems. Recalling 2020, Jaishankar noted that Chinese escalations produced clashes in which 20 Indian military personnel died.
He added that China has developed a network of potentially dual-use ports across the Indo-Pacific that could secure critical choke points, prompting the Indian Navy’s stepped-up patrols. Jaishankar also pointed to shared economic concerns: both the United States and India run large trade deficits with China, and Beijing’s rare-earth export restrictions highlight supply-chain concentration as strategic leverage. Another area of US-India convergence, he said, has been efforts to stabilise the Middle East.
Sameer Lalwani, External Senior Advisor at the Special Competitive Studies Project and Senior Fellow for the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said hopes for a diplomatic thaw between India and China are overstated. He argued that border disputes, strategic rivalry, and Beijing’s coercive economic behaviour will keep the relationship adversarial.
Lalwani observed that India’s dependence on Russia is shrinking: while legacy reliance for defence equipment and energy remains, Russia plays little role in India’s future technologies such as AI, quantum, and biotech. He cautioned that recent US-India trade frictions and tariff moves have raised concerns in India and could erode trust. A major trade agreement could deliver gains, but rebuilding confidence in US reliability is necessary.
Lalwani warned of a persistent “say‑do” gap in US-India cooperation, where implementation lags ambition. He cited slow progress on initiatives like the Jet Engine Co‑production agreement as an example that can dilute strategic benefits and weaken deterrence. Closing the gap will require sustained resources, focus, and leadership. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
