US wants India to be a containment vessel - that's it. If India becomes a global power in it's own right - US leverage over India would end, to that extent expect them to perform continuous checks on Indian ambitions.
Recent examples
1. WTO cases against India preventing India to achieve energy parity
2. Supporting India's UNSC ambitions vocally and at the same time opposing it behind the scenes with Russia and China.
3. Lackluster NSG campaign for India
4. Continued aid and military support to Pakistan.
5. Denial of critical tech to India in aerospace sector
There is a strong case to be made that US is using India as a bargaining chip, looking to extract concessions from China on trade and security. Once a deal with China is made, all taps to India will stop faster than Ussain Bolt's 100m sprint.
So any US claims of partnership should be taken with heavy dose of salt.
India should instead look towards forming a strong bulwark against Chinese tide with the means independent of US. How to do this?
1. Make the neighborhood impenetrable to China
Instead of squandering resources in countries like Vietnam, first build a firewall covering Srilanka, BD, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives so that these countries are closed to Chinese Military and security agencies. There should be no more submarine visits to SL, imagine Russian Sub docking up in Canada! US almost started WW3 and Armageddon when Russia tied to position it's military installations in Cuba - our response should be on a similar level.
2. Safeguard energy ties with Saudi and Iran.
This is not that big of a problem as these countries themselves dont want to be dependent on one customer. They would welcome improved ties with India as long as there are no miss-steps like India involving themselves in their affairs
3. Place Russia on equal priority to that of US
Russia is a critical hedge for India against US. Look at how smartly Erdogan used Russia to stump US. In addition they serve as an important check on China. Optics are important here - Russians are often more given to perceptions than US which is more focused on cold logical gains. I expect Modi to promote Russian ties more in international forums and visits. Russia is also naturally suspicious of China and while China has them at an disadvantage now due to low commodity prices that will not always be the case. In dire times we can count on Russia even more than US to step Chinese aggression either through back channel diplomacy or aggressive force projections on their borders
4. Transactional ties with Europe
Europeans are best viewed as mercenaries, cash based transactional relationships will always be open. Giving so much space to Russia and US leaves very little strategic capital we can spend on Europe. France in particular showed us recently how quick they are ready to drop India as a hot potato when given a better deal by Australians. Despite India being the major victim of recent leaks, India was not informed and all efforts were made to damage control in Australia. Our poor DM came to know about it in the middle of night through ironically a traitor Ravi Shankaran. Then French put the blame on India for leaks and only when India protested and Australian newspaper themselves denied this later retracted. It leaves a clear indication that there is no strategic component to our ties with France or anyone else in Europe.
@GURU DUTT @Levina
@nair @PARIKRAMA @hellfire