Crucial Partners: The Volatile and Indispensable U.S.-India Linkage

Why It Matters

Understanding the strategic depth of the U.S.-India relationship is essential for businesses and governments to anticipate geopolitical shifts and mitigate risks in an increasingly contested Indo‑Pacific arena.

Key Takeaways

• US-India partnership driven by strategic balance against China
• Historical ties date back to Reagan’s 1980s memorandum
• Area‑studies decline threatens future expertise in geopolitics for policy
• CEOs cite AI and geopolitics as top preparedness gaps
• Personal networks and pragmatic ambition shaped bilateral progress

Summary

The Asia Chessboard episode examines the volatile yet indispensable U.S.-India linkage, featuring Brookings senior fellow Dr. Tanvi Madan and former NSC staffer Mike Green. They trace the partnership from Reagan’s 1980s national‑security memorandum through the post‑Cold‑War pivot that recognized India’s rise as a strategic counterweight to China.

Key insights include the 1998 nuclear sanctions lift, the 2005 civil‑nuclear agreement that opened defense cooperation, and Condoleezza Rice’s call to view India through a China lens rather than a Pakistan one. The conversation highlights how a handful of maritime‑focused officials—many with NATO backgrounds—propelled the alliance, while CEOs today rank AI and geopolitics as the biggest preparedness gaps.

Notable examples feature Green’s recollection of Bush‑era NSC meetings, Madan’s observation that area‑studies programs are shrinking, and Bloomberg surveys showing senior executives demand deeper geopolitical literacy. The hosts also stress the cultural affinity reflected in Pew polls, where Indian public opinion of the United States remains unusually favorable.

Implications are clear: policymakers must sustain expertise in regional studies to navigate the Indo‑Pacific balance of power, and corporations need to embed geopolitical risk analysis into strategy. The U.S.-India partnership will remain a cornerstone of democratic resilience and supply‑chain diversification, especially as technology and AI reshape global competition.

Original Description

Mike joins Tanvi Madan, senior fellow with the Center for Asia Policy Studies in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. They discuss developments in the U.S.-India relationship, the U.S.-India security alignment and other areas of cooperation, the new bilateral trade deal, interpersonal dynamics between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and what we can expect for the bilateral relationship looking forward.