The battle over supply chains and production is just one of many domains where great power competition between India and China is heating up. Indian and Chinese tensions can only be expected to escalate as New Delhi continues to rise and Beijing feels increasingly threatened by its neighbor to the south.
India has a dangerous road ahead and will need friends and partners to help deter Chinese military and economic aggression. Washington is New Delhi’s ideal primary partner in this endeavor, and a closer relationship between both countries substantially benefits the United States. American policymakers should work to further integrate and develop security and economic ties with India as both countries focus on deterring an increasingly bellicose Beijing.
Lawmakers and policymakers in New Delhi have a clear-eyed view of the threat posed by the CCP. I participated as a Young Fellow at the 2024 Raisina Dialogue—India’s most important geopolitical conference—hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. The message from the conference was clear: China is the No. 1 threat. Many young Indians told me that they believed China would try to stop their rise and that Beijing viewed their democratic political system as an existential threat.
But while India faces this threat, why should Americans care, and how can we help advance the U.S.–India relationship?
For starters, stronger U.S.–India ties make sense from a shared values perspective. India is the world’s largest democracy and shares a commitment to liberalism and other Western values, such as freedom of speech and religion. Not to mention that China’s communist system presents a moral and political challenge to both of our freedom-based systems.
Moreover, India and the United States have shared economic interests. One example is in the realm of de-risking critical supply chains. Washington and its allies are rushing to move supply chains out of China, and India makes sense as a relocation hub for industries such as semiconductors and other electronics. Rising incomes in India will also open new export markets for U.S. businesses and opportunities for investors looking to move capital out of China.
Enhancing India’s security posture is also a vital American interest. New Delhi will benefit greatly from the sale of American weapons and munitions as it seeks to beef up its security posture in the Himalayas and a general upgrade of its armed forces. A stronger Indian military will also force China to reposition more troops and equipment to its southern border rather than have these forces available for a potential conflict with the United States over Taiwan.
American policymakers must recognize these areas of constructive engagement with New Delhi and work to deepen the U.S.–India relationship. Communist China will continue to see a rising India as a threat to its security and economic interests and is destined to become more hostile. India will need America’s help, and we’d be wise to heed its serious interest in our friendship and partnership.
