POLICY BRIEF 02: INDIA – US: – BEYOND THE HORIZON BY INDRANI BAGCHI

This paper looks at the current state of play between India and US and makes some recommendations for the short and medium term. From being on opposite sides of the fence during the Cold War, India and US have metamorphosed to being a “defining partnership of the 21st century.” While that may not be heavy mantle to bear, both countries have to make some significant strategic space for each other if this partnership is to move from success to significance. There are areas where Indian and US interests are a close fit, as in Southeast and East Asia, and in the Indian Ocean. There are others where India and US remain far apart, and notwithstanding over a decade of communication, those gaps have remained. These are mainly in the spheres of Af-Pak and Middle East, which calls for some serious introspection on how to move forward, if not together, but at least without stepping on toes. In the areas of trade and economic activity, India has a lot of catching up to do. But equally, the US should take a more strategic view of the relationship and give India some of the space it needs as it works on its unique demands in the path to its economic development.