Has America Made A Bad Bet On India And Is This A Cause Of Concern For Both Countries?

[Zarvan]

In an article for Foreign Affairs the highly acclaimed scholar of India-US relations, Ashley Tellis, has argued that for two decades Washington has made “an enormous bet … that treating India as a key partner will help the United States in its geopolitical rivalry with China … the presumption (is) that New Delhi will respond favorably when Washington calls in a favor during a regional crisis involving China”. However, Mr. Tellis believes “Washington’s expectations are misplaced”. He says, “New Delhi desires American support in its own confrontation with China … but does not believe that it must, in turn, materially support the United States in any crisis”.

This is because, as he writes, “Indian policymakers are acutely conscious of the stark disparity in Chinese and Indian national power … New Delhi’s relative weakness compels it to avoid provoking Beijing”. Mr. Tellis’s conclusion is stark and simple: “The United States should certainly help India to the degree compatible with American interests, but it should harbor no illusion that its support, no matter how generous, will entice India to join it in any military coalition against China … the Biden administration should recognize this reality rather than try to alter it”.

This raises the question is America now doing more for India than its interests require it to do? In a live interview at 6.30 p.m. Ashley Tellis explains and discusses his viewpoint, his conclusion and the questions arising from it.