Great Expectations: Asking Too Much of the US-India Strategic Partnership

Lalwani and Byrne examine the strategic partnership of the US and India. After India re-elected Narendra Modi as Prime Minister in May 2019, President Trump congratulated him, tweeting that "great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. In June, Assistant Secretary of Defense Randall Schriver echoed this sentiment, anticipating "a lot of convergence on the strategic landscape" between the US and India. Nevertheless, on the eve of Secretary of State Pompeo's June visit to New Delhi, analysts of the region warned that an emerging crisis could force a highly disruptive reckoning for the relationship. Publicly, the US-India relationship has achieved rare status, touted as one of the greatest bipartisan successes and crowning achievements across the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations. Yet privately, some US policymakers have raised "serious concerns" about India's defense decisions.