Key region: the Indo-Pacific

Choti Gandhawa

vor 5 Monaten

(cg) In the Indo-Pacific – a geopolitically pivotal region of the 21st century – the United States, under President Donald Trump, is seeking closer cooperation with India to safeguard its strategic interests and address the growing challenges posed by China. Spanning the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea, and the Western Pacific, the Indo-Pacific is both an economic hub and a hotspot of mounting geopolitical tensions. In this context, India has gained increasing prominence and is viewed by the U.S. as a central partner in securing its regional dominance.

Tulsi Gabbard, Director of U.S. Intelligence, emphasized the potential for deeper cooperation following her visit to India in March 2025. She noted that both Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocate an „America First“ approach – not as isolationism, but as a strategy to defend national interests through international partnerships. This outlook has drawn India and the U.S. closer together, with Gabbard highlighting the importance of a strong alliance to uphold peace and security in an increasingly unstable world.

India’s geopolitical significance to the U.S. is undisputed, especially in light of the escalating threat from China. Under President Xi Jinping, China has significantly expanded its military presence in the Indo-Pacific, triggering an arms race in the region. With its sweeping claims over the South China Sea and the world’s largest naval fleet, China has gained a strategic advantage. This poses a direct challenge to the U.S. and its allies, threatening free access to international waters and the preservation of an open global trade order.

In light of these developments, the U.S. sees it as essential to forge new partnerships. Strengthening ties with India is a strategic move to reinforce America’s regional presence and build a coalition to counter Chinese expansion. Regular talks between Trump and Modi have focused on trade, defense, and counterterrorism. Modi has also announced plans to host Trump in India later in 2025 – further underlining the growing importance of this partnership.

At the same time, economic tensions persist. India has been affected by U.S. tariffs, and disagreements over trade and investment remain. Nonetheless, both Gabbard and Indian officials have stressed the need for ongoing high-level dialogue to find mutually beneficial solutions.

The U.S.-India partnership, however, extends beyond the economic realm. The two countries have intensified their military cooperation in recent years and now work together in areas such as cybersecurity and maritime security. This has become especially important as China continues its military maneuvers in the Indo-Pacific – most recently in February 2025, when a Chinese naval fleet operated off the Australian coast. For the U.S., such developments underscore the strategic necessity of ensuring free navigation and open trade routes in the region.

India occupies a unique position in this geopolitical landscape. As a member of the Quad – an informal security dialogue with the U.S., Japan, and Australia – India can coordinate on regional security issues without entering into formal military alliances. These flexible arrangements align with Trump’s preferred strategy of avoiding multilateral commitments in favor of looser partnerships. Analysts such as Chietigj Bajpaee from Chatham House view this as an opportunity for the U.S. to expand its Indo-Pacific presence without becoming entangled in binding obligations.

The U.S.’s overarching strategic objective remains the containment of China, which is increasingly seen as a threat to regional order. In this tense environment, India is a crucial partner. Although India has yet to enter into a formal military alliance with the U.S., their deepening cooperation in security and economic matters marks an important step toward jointly addressing regional challenges.

The future of U.S.-India relations in the Indo-Pacific will largely depend on how effectively the two nations manage to deepen their partnership and maintain a stable, pragmatic collaboration. The U.S. must ensure that India is engaged as a strategic partner without creating unwanted dependencies. The coming years will reveal whether this rapprochement will bear long-term fruit and whether both countries are able to jointly confront the mounting challenges posed by China.

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