'US keen to work with India for stability in Indo-Pacific'

The US intends to cooperate with India to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific, keep the South China Sea open and secure the future of critical technologies, according to the Trump administration's recently released National Security Strategy (NSS).

- Shashank Mattoo

The 33-page document released on Friday by the White House outlines the Trump administration's desire to avoid military conflict with China, refocus diplomatic and military resources on the Western Hemisphere and refashion US ties with allies and partners like India.

While the National Security Strategy makes clear that Washington will not seek global dominance, it commits America to prevent “any nation to become so dominant that it could threaten our interests”. To that end, the NSS proposes cooperating with allies and partners to shore up American economic strengths in its competition with China while also reinforeing military deterrence.

“We must continue to improve commercial (and other) relations with India to encourage New Delhi to contribute to Indo-Pacific security, including through continued quadrilateral cooperation with Australia, Japan, and the United States (“the Quad”),” the strategy document proposes.