Would America Back India in a War?

[jhungary]

US only fight in wars that benefit the US, you can see from how US was involved n the Iran-Iraq war......You won't see the US doing anything if the war only benefit India, unless India win in that given war have any consequence to the United States. You won't see US boots on the ground.

That said, US would still support via non-combat role, such as logistic support or intelligence support.

 

[Levina]

Is there an implication that America would help their "formal allies"?

What happened when China seized the Scarborough shoal from the Philippines in 2012?

America has a full "mutual defense treaty" with the Philippines, which has been in effect since the 1950's. The Philippines was a former colony of America and one of their closest allies.

But instead of helping their treaty ally the Philippines from losing territory to China in 2012... America instead came to China, and asked if they could borrow more money from us.

Even a full mutual defense treaty isn't worth much anymore. And even the Philippines itself didn't believe that America would fight China on their behalf, regardless of alliances or treaties. Even if they were actively losing territory.

That's just common sense. And nowadays America doesn't even talk about Scarborough shoal anymore.

Well, China and India would never indulge in a pointless war.
In my opinion, if at all India and China go to war then nobody (not even russia) would interfere, at the most other countries would put diplomatic and economic pressures on these countries to prevent the war from exacerbating.
I think this article is more relevant in case India and Pakistan go on a war, in which case America might not directly get involved but it might help India by sharing intelligence. But frankly, America is one country which can never be trusted, or depended on. Russia still tops the list when it comes to reliable allies, followed by Japan.

 

[Neemo neemo]

Well, China and India would never indulge in a pointless war.
In my opinion, if at all India and China go to war then nobody (not even russia) would interfere, at the most other countries would put diplomatic and economic pressures on these countries to prevent the war from exacerbating.
I think this article is more relevant in case India and Pakistan go on a war, in which case America might not directly get involved but it might help India by sharing intelligence. But frankly, America is one country which can never be trusted, or depended on. Russia still tops the list when it comes to reliable allies, followed by Japan.

Hain?
What makes you think that?

 

[haviZsultan]

I think a realignation is in progress. When the Americans do not need Pakistan anymore they will turn to India.

 

[Bobby]

If there is a war between India and Pakistan...nobody will back either country...... USA or CHina

 

[Levina]

Hain?
What makes you think that?

I know you favor Israel over Russia, afterall Russians did try to mislead Indians with old satellite pictures during the kargil war.
But if you thought Israel would openly support India against China then, let me remind you Israel was the country which illegally "transferred" to China the Patriot anti-missile system, which the Pentagon had deployed in Israel during the Kuwait crisis. Also in 1994, U.S. media had accused Israel of unauthorized transfer of technology associated with the Lavi jet fighter to China.

 

[Bobby]

If there is a war between India and Pakistan...nobody will back either country...... USA or CHina

Indians are fantasizing revenge of their 1962 embarrassment. That is why so many Indians are gun-ho when it comes to China.

you are chinese american

 

[Neemo neemo]

I know you favor Israel over Russia, afterall Russians did try to mislead Indians with old satellite pictures during the kargil war.
But if you thought Israel would openly support India against China then, let me remind you Israel was the country which illegally "transferred" to China the Patriot anti-missile system, which the Pentagon had deployed in Israel during the Kuwait crisis. Also in 1994, U.S. media had accused Israel of unauthorized transfer of technology associated with the Lavi jet fighter to China.

First of all, I don't expect any country to openly support Either China, or India expect Pakistan supporting China.

Second, No. I do not favor Israel. Israel may have the technology and will to support India in war covertly, but they do not have enough resources to help India in a long lasting war.
And also i do not think Russians are quite trustworthy anymore. USSR was the power which had both willpower and resources as well as technology to go against any country to help India like they did help us in '71 against US, China and UK. But Russia is no USSR. Times have changed, so does Russian capability. They do not have same bonhomie with India like they used to. Now we are just a client state to them for defense deals. They are milking us as much as they can with leftover technology of USSR till date and not much to go other than that.

However i believe Japan could be a better option with some ASEAN member states. We also need to improve our relations with Iran as well. Iran might prove to be a game changer in any war like scenario, if they chose to go with India.

 

[Levina]

Edit: But there also comes the possibility that India doesn't strike militarily, but rather isolates Pakistan diplomatically. Removal of Pakistan from IGOs, elimination of funding for UN/ AID agencies, even elevating India's positions in IGOs could offer carrots to quiet the Military.
.

I hope you know Pak's nuclear policy, Pak says it will deploy tac nukes against India if India attempts economic strangling of Pakistan, or creates domestic destabilization.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

If China attacks India ; then US will definitely help

 

[Levina]

However i believe Japan could be a better option with some ASEAN member states. We also need to improve our relations with Iran as well. Iran might prove to be a game changer in any war like scenario, if they chose to go with India.

Yes, recently Japan ended a ban that had kept its military from fighting abroad since 1945, a move that has riled China.
Iran might support India against Pakistan, but dont expect Iran to support India against China. Albeit I believe India and China would try their best to avert a war.

 

[Neemo neemo]

Yes, recently Japan ended a ban that had kept its military from fighting abroad since 1945, a move that has riled China.
Iran might support India against Pakistan, but dont expect Iran to support India against China. Albeit I believe India and China would try their best to avert a war.

Supporting one or the other is not the only thing. Having Iran on our side means that we can keep a track of energy resources, just in case.

You see that was the reason why China and Pakistan pulled out of IAPI pipeline, because they do not trust Afghan much. They have more faith in Iran right now.

You see i am no expert, but i think a war is not all about fighting. It's also about who can hold their nerves longer and who blinks first. I'm more of the guy who favors controlling and threatening energy supply routes, if push comes to shove. That is also one of the reason why i support ASEAN members to side with India.

 

[manishmaithani]

US want India to act as their watch tower in Indian ocean for chinese. They would help us until unless mutual interest would be there and its not about war but overall concept of strategic partnership

 

[Rahul9090]

US promised India help if China attacked during 1971 Indo-Pak war

NEW DELHI: Despite its intense animosity towards India during the 1971 war, the US promised New Delhi "all out" support in case China carried out any unprovoked attack on India, recently declassified documents reveal 40 years after the historic war that created Bangladesh.

The revelations add fresh twist to the narrative of the Indo-Pak war of 1971. Based on a set of freshly declassified documents of the ministry of external affairs, TOI had in early November reported that the US hostility towards India during the 1971 war was far beyond what was publicly known. And that the US had probably also prepared a few Marine battalions for operations against the Indian military.

Communications of the Indian embassy in Washington and of the government in New Delhi show that US offered "all out" help if China were to enter the Indo-Pak standoff to favour its all-weather friend.


After a meeting with Henry Kissinger, then adviser to President Richard Nixon, on August 25, 1971, Indian ambassador to the US L K Jha reported to New Delhi, "He said that in a 1962 type of situation, US will not hesitate to give all out help to India against China, and there is no change of position on this." Kissinger was referring to the military conflict between India and China in 1962 in which India was humiliated.

A few weeks before this meeting, during a visit to New Delhi, Kissinger told then defence minister Jagjivan Ram, "I might tell you that we would take a very grave view of any Chinese move against India."

Ambassador Jha had spent three hours with Kissinger in San Clemente White House, the vacation home of Nixon, on August 25, as tension mounted in South Asia. They discussed details of issues that could crop up in an upcoming meeting between then PM Indira Gandhi and Nixon.

But "in this one (letter to foreign secretary T N Kaul), I am dealing with one specific point relating to the US attitude in the event of China joining on the side of Pakistan in a conflict with us", the ambassador wrote. Discussions with Kissinger on possible Chinese aggression were prompted by queries from New Delhi, the letter shows. New Delhi was worried that China could open a second front against India, even as it fought Pakistan. Such a collaboration between China and Pakistan still remains a worry for the Indian security establishment.

"Then I asked that in order to be quite clear and free from any ambiguity or doubt, I would welcome a fuller formulation from him of the US position in case we are involved in any kind of a conflict with China." In response, Kissinger offered "all out" help in case of a 1962 type situation. Then he went on to discuss other possible scenarios.

"If it was a 1965 type of Pakistani attack, then even without Chinese involvement, US would take the toughest measures against Pakistan, and if China came to its help, it would not hesitate to help us with arms, though not with men," Jha wrote. The situation Kissinger referred was an unprovoked Pakistani aggression.

"However, the chances were that if the present situation escalates into a conflict, it would be very hard to tell who is to blame. Thus, if India sent two divisions of irregulars into East Bengal and Pakistanis sent four such divisions into Kashmir, it would not be a situation in which the US could possibly help even if China threw its weight on the side of Pakistan," Kissinger told Jha, according to the ambassador's letter.

This letter from the Indian ambassador was seen by the foreign minister, the secretary to the prime minister and most other senior officials.


US promised India help if China attacked during 1971 Indo-Pak war - The Times of India

 

[Storm Force]

USA will never back India or China or indeed Pakistan in any war.

Completely neutral.

Behind closed doors they will provide India with intelligence I think .

The USA sees China as a rival and the do t trust the Pakistanis but are using them to fight Islamic terror only