In the past few years, India has become one of the world’s top economic powers, and the Indian economy maintains its rapid growth rate, which is the highest among emerging economies.
According to estimates by the International Monetary Fund, in parallel with this economic growth, India, whose population exceeds 1.3 billion people, is seeking to expand its political and military influence regionally and internationally and has become one of the most important players in South Asia.
This is what aroused the interest of the American decision-makers for rapprochement with this emerging country and benefiting from its capabilities in a number of files of importance to the United States.
Recently, Indian-American relations witnessed close cooperation and partnership in various fields. These ties are expected to continue to develop and strengthen in the future.
In recent years, the United States has increasingly focused on India as a strategic partner in Asia. This focus is expected to continue in the future, especially with the increasing economic and strategic importance of India in the region. Areas of cooperation between India and the US include regional security and counterterrorism, technology and innovation, trade and investment, energy, education, and culture.
Indo-US relations are strongly supported by the political leaders of the two countries, and this should help in strengthening the relations in the future. It is also expected that India will continue to work to strengthen relations with the United States, by enhancing bilateral cooperation in various fields and promoting dialogue and mutual understanding between the two countries.
In general, the future of Indo-US relations looks promising, and it is expected that relations will continue to develop and strengthen in the coming years.
As for the real reason for the US bet on India, it is certainly escalating conflict with China. India also has a large number of active and reserve armies and nuclear capabilities, which makes it an important military force in the region. India represents the substantive equivalent of China, especially in terms of population, so it was not surprising that the United States tried to rapprochement with it.
Of course, the United States has strategic interests in reducing China’s influence in Asia and expanding its influence in the region. By supporting India and encouraging it to play a greater role in the region, the United States can better achieve this goal.
This may be the case since former US President Barack Obama announced the rebalancing project in Asia. The project, which some Chinese see as besieging China; Because, in their view, this project means the rise of India, Japan, and some other countries against China.
Based on the recent agreement between the United States of America and India, relations in trade, military and other fields will be strengthened. This is where US-Indian relations entered a new stage, especially after the signing of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum Agreement (LEOMA) between the United States of America and India. According to the agreement, both countries can use the air, land, and sea of the other country when needed. New Delhi and Washington share strategic goals, whether that includes fighting terrorism, keeping sea lanes open, or countering the rise of China.
In fact, India is adopting a more assertive policy towards China, and this will give an opportunity for US officials to deal with it closely. Washington, then, does not want to lose positions in the war of influence against Beijing in the region and sees India as a “strong agent” that can help it increase its military and political influence at the expense of China in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
The attempt to surround China is not the only importance of the American rapprochement with India, as there are many other files. The Afghan file is present strongly, as Afghanistan is a country where an Indian proxy war against Pakistan is taking place, and Indian and American interests converge in Afghanistan against Pakistan. This is where the United States seeks to include India in its new strategy on Afghanistan, which is tangible evidence of the growing alliance between them.
It is true in political science that there is no permanent enemy or permanent friend, but there are permanent interests, and this is what made America take historic steps to regain leadership in the Indian and Pacific regions. In the past year, the United States has refreshed longstanding alliances, fostered emerging partnerships, and forged innovative bonds with each other to address pressing challenges, from competition with China to climate change to the pandemic. And it has done so at a time when allies and partners around the world are increasingly stepping up their engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. Certainly, the Indo-Pacific region is the most vibrant in the world, and its future affects people everywhere.
This reality is the basis of US strategy. This strategy outlines President Biden’s vision of firmly embedding the United States in the Indo-Pacific region and strengthening the region in the process.
Dr Hatem Sadek is a Professor at Helwan University.
