The Strengthening Of Partnership Between India And The United States And Its Implications For China

India-US relations are very important bilateral relations that impose impact onChina’s foreign policy. The India-US relations had gone through an unhappy periodin the Cold War era. India’s nonalignment external strategy diverged US interests.After the Cold War, the Bush administration’s permit of India’s entry intointernational non-proliferation regime was the key turn of India-US relations.The U.S. perceives India, the biggest democracy in the world, as the lynchpin ofit’s re-balancing Asia strategy. Meanwhile, India regards purchasing arms from theU.S. as important step for its enhancement of defense capability. India has alwaysbeen ambitious to rise as a great world power since it’s independence in1947, whichdetermines that India is not willing to become a ally of any other power. However,sharing common concerns of China’s rise paved the way for India and the U.S. Witha more robust strategic partnership. For the foreseeable future, in the trilateralrelations among China, the U.S. and India, closer India-US relations is expected. TheUnited States is currently asking India to not only "looking east", but also "actingeast", pushing India to play a big role in Indo-pacific region both politically andmilitarily. US policy makers are now constantly underlining the importance ofguaranteeing the stability and freedom of navigation in South China Sea, interveningthe maritime dispute between China and some Southeastern countries. India is nowfollowing the United States and making similar statement. Besides, India-USmaritime cooperation is strengthened significantly, which would pose actual threat onChina’s energy supply from sea lanes in Indo-pacific region.China’s policy makers should watch the evolution of India-US partnershipclosely. As for countermeasures, China should focus on deepening relationship withIndia, by improving the bilateral economic relations, enhancing naval cooperationand building military mutual trust. Meanwhile, the differences between India and theU.S. could be made use of by China to hold a favorable position among the trilateralrelations, even in the world stage.