Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has made a strong case for revitalising the US-India strategic partnership, framing it as essential to countering China’s growing influence. She argued that unlike Communist China, the rise of a democratic India does not pose a threat to global stability but instead strengthens the free world.

Stressing that a close alignment between Washington and New Delhi should be a “no-brainer,” Haley urged US policymakers to prioritise this partnership for the sake of America’s long-term security and economic interests.

In her opinion piece, co-authored with Bill Drexel of the Hudson Institute, Haley drew historical parallels by recalling President Ronald Reagan’s 1982 state dinner with then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, where Reagan spoke of a shared destiny between the two democracies despite occasional policy divergences.

Haley emphasised that today, the bilateral relationship faces a troubling “inflection point,” requiring urgent attention to restore trust and cooperation. She tied this effort directly to the Trump administration’s broader foreign policy aims of establishing “peace through strength” and outcompeting China.

Haley acknowledged sticking points—including India’s continued large-scale imports of Russian oil, which contribute to Moscow’s war chest in Ukraine, as well as India’s high tariff policies which exceed US trade openness by several times. However, she urged US leaders to treat India as a prized democratic partner rather than approach it with the same suspicion often directed at Beijing. According to Haley, acknowledging India’s unique role is vital for both geopolitical and economic reasons.

Economically, Haley underscored India’s potential to replace China as a global manufacturing hub for goods such as textiles, affordable electronics, and solar panels. She presented India as the only realistic alternative to China for large-scale supply chain shifts, particularly in industries where production cannot easily return to the United States. This makes India indispensable in current efforts to diversify away from Chinese dependency.

On defence cooperation, Haley praised India’s expanding military ties with the United States, Israel, and other American allies. She noted India’s relevance not only as a growing market for US defence exports but also as a front-line partner capable of complicating China’s military and trade calculations given its central geographic position. India’s location, straddling critical maritime and energy trade routes, gives it unique leverage in scenarios involving regional crises or conflict with China.

Demographically and economically, India’s rise is also positioned as a long-term counterweight to China. With over one-sixth of humanity and a burgeoning young workforce, India surpassed China in population in 2023 and is sustaining its status as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.

Haley predicted that India will soon overtake Japan to become the fourth largest economy, contrasting this trajectory of dynamism with China’s slow demographic decline and economic overreach. She argued that as India’s power grows, China’s ambitions must inevitably recede.

Haley also highlighted the difficult but unavoidable fact of India-China tensions, including territorial disputes and the violent border clash in 2020. She insisted that the United States must accelerate support for India in both economic and military domains in order to blunt China’s assertiveness. She called the moment urgent, warning that delay would only empower Beijing further.

For Haley, the most pressing diplomatic task lies in repairing the drift in US-India relations. She specifically called for direct engagement at the highest levels, urging a meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break through current disagreements. Only through such an effort, she argued, can both democracies realign their shared mission of countering China and securing global stability.

Despite issues around trade disputes and Russia-related tensions, Haley maintained that decades of mutual goodwill between the world’s two largest democracies provide a strong foundation for recovery.

Pointing to the resilience of their ties, she concluded that even hard conversations should be seen as signs of a maturing partnership. Ultimately, she insisted that for America to face China effectively, it must first strengthen its bond with India and work from a position of consolidated democratic strength.

Based On ANI Report