The Surprising Success of the U.S.-Indian Partnership

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In The Media

The Surprising Success of the U.S.-Indian Partnership

Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi intentionally courted Trump to maintain the U.S.-India alliance. Did Modi’s gamble pay off?

By Ashley J. Tellis

Published on Feb 20, 2020

Source: Foreign Affairs

Three years ago, U.S.-Indian relations seemed destined to falter. U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America first” agenda, which asks what every American partner has done for the United States lately, had strained relations with many traditional U.S. allies. But his agenda seemed especially incompatible with India’s expectation that it would continue to benefit from American largesse—particularly in the form of diplomatic support and generous technology access—despite resisting the reciprocal obligations that come with a formal alliance.

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This article was originally published by Foreign Affairs.

About the Author

Ashley J. Tellis

Former Senior Fellow

Ashley J. Tellis was a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Recent Work

Paper
Multipolar Dreams, Bipolar Realities: India’s Great Power Future
- Ashley J. Tellis
Commentary
India Sees Opportunity in Trump’s Global Turbulence. That Could Backfire.
- Ashley J. Tellis

Political Reform Economy Trade Foreign Policy North America United States South Asia India

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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