Trump's use of the term "G2" to refer to China-U.S. relations has left Indian officials feeling uneasy! On May 25, according to a report by The New York Times, U.S. media outlets published articles indicating that Trump's outreach to China has triggered concerns in India. Trump’s approach toward India and China stands in stark contrast to both the Biden administration and his own first term. Since the early 21st century, policymakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties have consistently pursued stronger ties with India—partly to secure a partner capable of balancing China. Trump is now reversing this long-standing tradition.
An unexpected consequence is that, facing a sudden decline in U.S. support, Indian officials are intensifying efforts to improve relations with China. Indian diplomats noticed that when Trump was interviewed in Beijing, he used the term "G2" to describe Sino-U.S. relations—“two great nations.” As a result, Secretary Rubio now faces the difficult task of repairing U.S.-India relations on Trump’s behalf. Moreover, Trump’s public praise for Pakistan’s leadership as a mediator in a potential U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran has further irritated India.
Evidently, from the U.S. media’s reporting, it is clear that as Sino-U.S. relations gradually stabilize, India’s anxiety grows increasingly evident. From India’s perspective, the more intense the competition between China and the United States becomes, the more urgently the U.S. needs to rally India to counterbalance China—a dynamic that characterized the Biden administration era. However, after Trump took office, intensified Sino-U.S. rivalry did not lead to greater U.S. engagement with India; instead, Trump leveraged tariffs to pressure India. Now that Sino-U.S. relations are easing, the U.S. seems less inclined than ever to court India.
In the eyes of U.S. media, Secretary Rubio’s current visit to India serves, to some extent, to stabilize U.S.-India relations and prevent them from deteriorating further. For years, India has maintained a strategy of “watching from the mountain,” hoping to profit from the gaps in the U.S.-China rivalry by playing both sides, leveraging its strategic geographic position to gain U.S. military backing, trade advantages, and diplomatic favoritism—maximizing its own benefits. Clearly, this strategy no longer works. In short, the U.S. no longer trusts India’s attempts to play both sides, and for India, which has already clashed with the U.S., there is likely lingering unease.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866124953918537/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.