Washington sees threat in India’s strategic autonomy The Statesman 19 Aug 2025 Maj Gen Harsha Kakar
https://epaper.thestatesman.com/4046530/Kolkata-The-Statesman/19TH-AUGUST-2025#page/9/2
Washington sees threat in India’s strategic autonomy The Statesman 19 Aug 2025
The US has suddenly woken up to the fact that India is unwilling to bend and grovel before it as most other nations. They also believe that India’s growing power will ultimately be a threat and the way India tilts in its alliances can alter global power balances. Hence, they have begun taking steps to keep India under check by controlling its rise. This is the opposite approach of earlier US governments which let India maintain its strategic autonomy while ensuring it remains an ally, which was far more logical.
For previous US administrations, India was a Major Defence Partner and granted Strategic Trade Authorization-1 status, benefitting defence procurements, enhancing interoperability. The belief was that collaboration in defence and trade would ensure Indo-US ties are close and New Delhi remains a partner in managing global challenges, especially a growing China, which was a threat to both. The US also banked on India to contain Chinese influence in South and East Asia as also within the Global South, as both are competitors.
The Trump administration appears to have adopted an anti-India stand. They believe India can be key in containing Russia which has embarrassed the US in Ukraine. This became evident when Trump announced additional sanctions of 25% on India, for procuring Russian oil, coinciding with the visit of Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, to Moscow. The intent was to send a message to Putin that in case he does not accept Trump’s call for a ceasefire; its ally India would be impacted.
This became further clear when US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, stated in an interview to Bloomberg Tv, ‘We’ve put secondary tariffs on Indians for buying Russian oil. And I could see, if things don’t go well (in Trump-Putin talks), then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up.’ He was hoping India would enhance pressure on Russia. On the contrary, there was no response from India. New Delhi was willing to stand its ground.
To further enhance pressure, Bessent directed European nations to follow suit. He mentioned on imposition of additional tariffs on India, ‘We need some coordination here. If we want to have a unified front, which will give President Trump maximum leverage, then I think our European counterparts need to do their part (impose sanctions on India).’
There was no response from Europe. The reality is that India is a major supplier of refined fuel to Europe, stoppage of which would impact their economy.
At the same time, Trump and his allies claim that fear of additional tariffs is pushing India to reduce oil imports from Russia. Trump stated in a Fox News Radio show that additional tariffs ‘essentially took them out of buying oil from Russia.’
The truth is that there is no change in Indian companies procuring Russian oil. The chairman of IOC mentioned, ‘We have not received any instruction or indication (from the government). We are continuing with our crude procurement strategy based on economics. It was and continues to be a commercial exercise.’
There is also a belief within the US, including in Trump, that Putin agreed to the meeting in Alaska based on additional tariffs imposed on India. This is Trump’s figment of imagination. Indo-Russia ties go back decades and are far more reliable and deeper than Indo-US, which vacillate between close and distant.
To continue displaying its displeasure, Washington has begun cozying upto Pakistan. It is hoping that this would compel India to bend and re-seek favour. However, this is another gamble which failed.
To display its intent to distance itself from the US and deny Trump the opportunity of continuing his claim of stopping Operation Sindoor, India must not conduct the QUAD summit this year, nor should PM Modi visit Washington as part of his itinerary if he addresses the UN General Assembly next month.
India, while backing calls for dialogue and peace in the Russo-Ukraine conflict, refused to become involved in Washington’s attempts to pressurize Russia. India only termed the sanctions as ‘unjust.’ PM Modi avoided calling Trump nor rushing to the US while publicly refuting Trump’s claim of having brokered the ceasefire. Neither did India send any delegation to Washington.
On the contrary, timed with the US imposing additional tariffs, PM Modi and Putin had a tele-conversation. The MEA statement mentioned that the conversation dwelt on peaceful resolution of the conflict, progress in bilateral ties and ‘further deepening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’ between the two nations.
A further firm message from India flowed from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day. PM Modi, without mentioning the US and tariffs said, ‘We should not waste our energy trying to shorten someone else’s line. We must extend our own line with full energy. The world will respect our strength.’ Defying US’s demands on opening the agricultural and dairy sector, he added, ‘I am standing like a wall for our farmers.’ India-US trade talks are currently stalled.
The US believes that it can compel Putin to adhere to Trump’s request for peace, thereby pushing Trump closer towards the Nobel peace award, by pressurizing India. It ignores China solely on geopolitical and economic considerations as China can hit back by blocking crucial imports. The US appears to place India and China at the same level in terms of threat to its power.
This is happening because India is a rising economy with the ability to influence large parts of the world. Trump’s transactional leadership approach believing it can compel nations to adhere to his demands will backfire. The recreation of the RIC (Russia-India-China grouping) and growing proximity between BRICS nations to counter the tariffs are likely to be major challenges to the US. PM Modi’s visit to China, meeting both, President Putin and Xi Jinping, can bounce back on the US.
India has also realized that bending once to the US would imply being considered a secondary ally, which can be pushed around at will, as is happening with Europe. Standing ground will give it respect even if it takes time. The US, on the other hand, will lose an ally and a staunch partner. Trump’s desperation for personal and short-term gains will damage Indo-US ties for a long time.
While currently additional tariffs are on hold, no one knows when and if they would be reimposed.