While a thaw in India and China’s fractious relationship was already underway, analysts say Trump’s actions have added to this shift. New Delhi and Beijing now find themselves navigating a volatile and unpredictable Washington that treats strategic partners and geopolitical rivals with the same transactional disdain, be they in Europe or Asia.
But in chastising India for not having a more open economy and its energy ties to Russia, the Trump administration is punishing the very nation the US has spent years cultivating as a democratic counterweight to China’s power – creating an opening for Beijing. This tactical realignment is underscored by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reported plans to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit later this month, which would be his first trip to China in seven years.
When asked to confirm Indian media reports about Modi’s attendance, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Beijing “welcomes” Modi for the meeting. “We believe that with the concerted effort of all parties, the Tianjin summit will be a gathering of solidarity, friendship and fruitful results,” said spokesperson Guo Jiakun. Since Modi, a right-wing Hindu nationalist, swept to power in 2014, the relationship reached new heights, partly driven by the personal rapport he developed with Trump during his first term, during which the Indian leader cast aside staid diplomatic protocol to campaign for his counterpart’s second term during a rally in Houston.
New Delhi’s growing alignment with Washington became even more critical as its own relationship with Beijing cratered after deadly border clashes in 2020 pushed the two Asian giants further apart than at any time in decades.
The US’ commitment to India deepened under the Biden administration, which identified New Delhi as a vital counterweight to Beijing’s growing influence. President Joe Biden often lavished praise on Modi, while largely setting aside sharp criticism from rights groups over the Modi administration’s alleged democratic backsliding at home.
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