How US will view CPEC, will ultimately depend upon PAK - US engagements on the issue. India would be irrelevant in this matter,
if Pakistan play its cards right.
While US and India find 'common ground' in countering China, these two have their own interests and thought-processes otherwise. Inter-state relationships are never black and white. US would want to work with Pakistan
regardless because US is a distant entity and both Pakistan and India.
India and China have trade relations outside geopolitical posturing, in case you didn't knew.
HINT from an American:
He stressed that, ultimately, how the US perceives and views CPEC will depend on the type of lens that the US applies to CPEC. According to him,
from a strictly economic lens, US policymakers may be inclined to look favourably on CPEC, given that – in theory! – the envisioned outcomes of CPEC, (such as, ultimately, increased stability) align very closely with US interests in Pakistan. Mr Kugelman concluded that
from a purely strategic view point, however, the US is not at all likely to support CPEC, given that “it is a case of the US’ biggest strategic rival deepening its foot print in a country that is critical to US interest”.
Source:
http://unpo.org/article/21063
In other words, how Pakistan engage US on various matters will make difference in the end.
I have repeatedly stressed that Pakistan should not draw conclusions on its own, and should not pick sides unnecessarily. Just do what is best of Pakistan, and diffuse any prospects of Cold War between external stakeholders from its end.
