President Donald J. Trump’s gesture of inviting QUAD leaders at his second Presidential inaugural ceremony coupled with the recent telephone call to PM Modi, is indicative of growing importance of India’s role in Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific being central to U.S.’ strategic priorities preludes that under Trump 2.0 there will be a renewed focus on deepening defense, economic and technological cooperation with ‘like-minded’ nations to address persisting and emerging challenges, while ensuring regional stability. Building upon the foundations established during Trump’s first term and his invitation to PM Modi to visit U.S. to deepen strategic ties, show that the bilateral relationship is poised to go further, with a focus on defense cooperation, trade and strategic alignment. This cooperation and collaboration are planned and will be executed against a common competitor of both i.e., China.

China is not a head-ache for U.S. only but its peaceful rise is also giving shock waves to India as well. Energy is now the mightiest source of development and prosperity for all states. China and India, both use sea lines of communication (SLOs) of Indo-Pacific for secure energy routes, free movement of trade and goods to ensure their economic development. However, China’s creation of string of pearls, a network of Chinese military ports and commercial facilities in Indian Ocean Region, along SLOs, and its string bond with India’s another arch-rival Pakistan; is a matter of concern that puts India in a security dilemma.

It seems that the Indo-Pacific region under Trump’s second presidency will gain prominence and focus but with a sharper focus on hard-power. India is building a muscular defense posture comprising countermeasures, enhancing its military capability for sea control and building closer relationships with those states which have a common interest in ensuring freedom of navigation within and through the Indian Ocean. In the light of the recent phone call by President Trump to PM Modi, the former has asked the latter that it should buy more U.S. manufactured military procurement, owing to its enhanced global security role. To counter Chinese encirclement, India seeks to build up militarily to secure and ensure free and open chokepoints for freedom of navigation.

India’s strategic importance was even more highlighted during his first tenure, under which the region was renamed as Indo-Pacific from Asia-Pacific, harnessing an increasing role of India in countering Chinese influence in the region. He signed important security agreements with India during his first tenure, despite of pursuing his protectionist and isolationist policies such as Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) and the basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD). Moreover, the recent QUAD initiative such as the establishment of Indo-Pacific partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPDMA) which is aimed to enhance military security and keeping an eye on India’s illicit activities, linked to China’s extensive fishing fleet, in the region.

India-U.S. strategic partnership is indeed boosting U.S. military-industrial complex but is more in favor of India than that of U.S. Their defense partnerships are aimed at exchanging military equipment, cooperation on technology and intelligence sharing while assigning major role to India to monitor closely Chinese actions in Indo-Pacific region as front-line ally of U.S. in the region. These agreements have fortified India’s defense capabilities and underscores the U.S.’s recognition of India as a strategic partner in countering China’s assertiveness in the region. This recognition is part and parcel of India’s aspiration of becoming an emerging global power and demands a growing role as an important player at world’s political power show in the future.

The Indo-Pacific region has emerged as a central theatre for strategic competition especially concerning China’s expanding influence. India’s geographic position and growing naval capabilities make it a linchpin in the U.S.’ Indo-Pacific strategy. India’s active participation in the QUAD alongside Japan, U.S and Australia exemplifies its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Moreover, meeting of the heads of the member states of QUAD is expected to take place in India in coming months. India is also embarked on a journey to present itself as a leading power at global stage of politics. For that reason, Indian ocean region plays a pivotal role in Indian foreign policy to align with its global power aspirations. India is also generating political discourse at home of being an important agency in international politics. For instance, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has highlighted the importance of strengthening India’s naval presence in the Indian Ocean, acknowledging the international power rivalries at play.

The economic dimension of the India-U.S. relationship is in a confused state. U.S. acknowledges India’s double game that it has been playing at par; on one hand it is countering its regional rival and global power competitor China with full backing of the U.S., while on the other, it is paving its way to achieve major power status, that hurts US’ status-quo and ambitions of retaining its superiority and hegemony worldwide. Although, the U.S. has become one of India’s largest trading partners, President Trump has consistently condemned its unfair trade practices while calling India as ‘Tremendous tariff-maker and big-abuser’ and asserted for a more balanced and fair-trade relationship. His administration has emphasized the need for India to reduce tariffs and create a more predictable business environment. This approach aims to facilitate greater American investment and exports to India, thereby addressing the trade imbalance. Furthermore, the U.S. is encouraging India to play a pivotal role in global supply chains, particularly in the semiconductor sector. The geopolitical tensions with China persist, the U.S. is seeking to diversify its supply chains, presenting India with an opportunity to become a significant player in high-tech manufacturing.

The current trajectory of India-U.S. relations under Trump’s second term appears promising, yet the challenges remain. Moreover, India’s historical defense ties with Russia and its stance on certain global issues may occasionally diverge from U.S. positions. However, the mutual recognition of shared strategic interests, especially in countering China’s influence, provides a strong foundation for collaboration. Trump is a staunch implementer of the slogan ‘make America great again’ and the world is already witnessing his assertive and protectionist trade and tariff policies against several other important countries including China. The question arises, will Trump pass only harsh dialogues to India’s trade practices to secure his strategic interests against China or drag him too, into already started trade war 2.0 that will affect the dynamics of their bilateral relationship?