The ‘2+2’
India has made a critical geostrategic choice: it is now aligned with the US. Bidding farewell to its cherished policy of non-alignment, and then a subsequent strategic defence-oriented understanding with Russia, New Delhi is now an allied-ally of Washington. The “2+2” ministerial dialogue that saw foreign and defence bosses from both sides rub shoulders and evolve a consensus on the Indo-Pacific, apart from taking their relations to new heights in arenas such as space, logistics cooperation and people to people contacts underscored robustness in their thought. Likewise, boosting of existing defence production deals, critical minerals and high-technology in addition to the leaps of mileage and confidence they possess in terms of new-found cordiality has a long way to go, and will surely compel other major powers to redraw their renewed preferences.
The constant in this new tie-up is their common animosity and reservations towards China. Delhi’s territorial dispute with Beijing — due to which the two sides have not been able to strike a consensus despite growing trade and commercial relations in the last many decades — is one of the reasons behind its inclination towards the US. Moreover, India’s mindset to welcome extra-territorial forces in the region, as is evident from its membership in QUAD and its pro-activeness in South China Sea affairs along with Australia and Japan, is anti-China in essence. This has acted as a common denominator in the Indo-US marshalling of new parameters against the economic superpower, and its transcontinental BRI. For the US, India is a bulwark and this is where their amiability rests.
The “2+2” parleys have come at a time when there are two wars going on in Asia and Europe, and India is on the side of the US. With Delhi’s heart lying with Kyiv and Tel Aviv and its readiness to check Beijing’s role in Asia, the dye is cast for a long-term coherent foreign policy. With both states institutionalising the new partnership, it will be a difficult ballgame to call it quits even with the change of political guard in each of the capitals.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2023.
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