THIS refers to the article ‘Bonhomie?’ (June 25) about the newfound warmth between the United States and India which rightly pointed out that the US promises of heavy investments in India were aimed at preparing the latter as a counterweight to China, projecting India as being central to US plans.

This may actually prove to be a great disappointment to the American policymakers. India does not want to be projected as a US ally. It wants to assume the role of a singular pole in Asia. India’s intentions have been made public on many occasions, and has shown its independence in formulating its foreign policy decisions.

The first such decision was the development of strategically located Chabahar port, situated in southern Iran just adjacent to Pakistan’s Gwadar port, despite strong US sanctions on Iran. More recently, India refused to condemn Russia for its military intervention in Ukraine. In fact, India started buying Russian oil. Also, India’s decision to maintain trade and economic relations with China despite the conflict is a clear indication that India wants to deal with China on its own terms, and not on behalf of the US.

In this regard, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has often made it public that India will have relations with other countries ‘on its own terms’. This means New Delhi will safeguard its strategic autonomy.

The current ‘bonhomie’ is nothing but an outcome of convergence of bilateral interests between the US and India. After all this wheeling and dealing, Washington has secured a big chunk of India’s huge arms market, which will help keep the American arms industry running for some time.

Actually, and interestingly, both countries are misreading each other. By getting closer to India, the US seems to be under the illusion that India will also act like Pakistan had acted in the past on a single phone call from Pentagon.

On its part, India is apparently not realising that by entering into some defence deals with the US, it has given both its arms to the US to twist around. The world will keep an eye on developments in this regard.

Abid Mahmud Ansari
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2023