Washington– Walter Russell Mead, a prominent American foreign policy expert, has called for deeper cooperation between India and the United States, describing stronger bilateral ties as essential to countering China in the short term and building “a strong defensive coalition for the future.”
Writing in the Wall Street Journal under the headline “India Still Wants to Work with Trump,” Mead, a Distinguished Fellow at the Hudson Institute, argued that despite occasional tensions, “the Trump administration remains well-positioned to take U.S.–India relations to a new level.”
“On tech policy, building close ties between the U.S., India, and friendly countries like Israel and Japan offers a path to countering the Chinese push for leadership in a strategic domain. On regional issues, American and Indian interests are broadly aligned. Chinese efforts to pull countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka into its orbit threaten both India and the U.S.,” Mead wrote.
He noted that Washington’s current engagement with Pakistan is unlikely to win lasting favor from President Trump, pointing to Islamabad’s history of nuclear proliferation and support for terrorism. “In the Cold War, America valued Pakistan as an ally against the Soviet Union. But in the emerging cold war with China, Pakistan has chosen Beijing. It has a troubling record of supporting illegal nuclear proliferation, and its hands are far from clean when it comes to supporting terrorism,” he added.
Earlier this month, Mead led a U.S. delegation to India, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with senior officials including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
Following the meeting, Modi wrote on X, “Glad to interact with a U.S. delegation of thinkers and business leaders led by Mr. Walter Russell Mead. Value their contribution in strengthening India–U.S. ties and advancing our partnership for global peace, progress, and prosperity.”
Reflecting on his visit, Mead said most Indian leaders expressed optimism about the tenure of new U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor. “In meetings with Indian government, opposition, and business leaders from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on down, your Global View columnist heard a consistent message. India’s political and business leaders still want to work with the U.S.,” he wrote.
He observed that bilateral relations have begun to stabilize after months of strain, with trade negotiations underway to finalize the first phase of a new agreement.
Mead concluded by stressing that resolving outstanding issues would be vital to President Trump’s legacy. “An improved U.S.–India relationship would be one of the president’s most important accomplishments. Failure would be an indelible blot on his record and vastly complicate life for his successors. Let’s all hope Mr. Trump finds a way,” he wrote. (Source: IANS)
