“U.S-India relations have been deepening since President Clinton’s time and there are fights and arguments, also interest groups but relations are not close,” argued a senior U.S. analyst on a recent visit to Delhi.
In his view, the U.S. does not understand India despite the long history of the relationship, a point made by others also. A former official put it differently.
“The U.S.-India relationship is fundamental but there is a need to understand the core of the relationship,” she said. “We need to understand that core in order to react appropriately.”
React appropriately is the key here given that the administration of President Donald Trump cares little for India Pakistan differences. Human rights does not bother him (which is a relief for India) as much as trade and tariffs.
In fact he is the first US president to bring tariffs to such an international platform and openly joust with visiting heads of state on America’s deficit and the need for his VIP guest to make amends.
India was among the first to get that broadside from Trump and Prime Minister Modi called for urgent trade talks with the U.S. that are now nearing fruition.
But Pakistan and the issues with Pakistan concern India keenly. A major cause for heartburn in Delhi was that Trump had brought back the India-Pak hyphenation with his rambling comments about the recent fighting between the two sides, refusing to name Pakistan as the perpetrator and not one word about terrorism.
The former official argued that Trump is not invested in Pakistan although he may be open to a potential business opportunity: witness last week’s tom-tomming in Islamabad by a person close to Trump, about cooperation on crypto.
“There is zero constituency in the U.S. for any alliance with Pakistan,” she said, “Osama bin Laden, all that double dealing, if Pakistan hopes to have China replace the US as paymaster, we wish China much joy. There is nothing there. Trump’s remarks are intended for his constituency back in the U.S. But the fact that Pakistan (and China) represent an integral two-front threat to India, that is understood in Washington DC.”
She had some other counsel for India. Trump does not care about opinion here in India, it is not on his radar
“There is a lot at stake for India in what is a very challenging environment in economic and security terms, much can be achieved but there are questions that India needs to grapple with,” she said.
“Don’t take the U.S. by surprise, as in the case of Operation Sindoor, was there any advance information? Maybe there was but was there a call to Trump? A low-level back channel doesn’t work for Trump.”
She underscored that both sides need to think together about the region but there are not enough people in the administration who know India or understand its point of view.
