Don't turn India into the next China just because China is a challenge to the United States! Recently, an article published in Diplomat magazine pointed out that Washington once supported a rising Asian superpower—only to suffer setbacks. Now, more and more Americans fear that India might follow China's footsteps and become another challenger. Given China's strategic influence demonstrated through its manufacturing prowess, India is actively trying to build an industrial base comparable to China's. The article argues that Washington has clearly overlearned from its experiences with China, potentially jeopardizing its most crucial relationship in confronting China: the relationship with India.
The article states that China’s governance traditions have endowed it with intentions and structural capabilities to disrupt globalization, whereas India’s history and institutions indicate no such threat exists. On the contrary, India’s rise is likely to enhance regional and international stability, especially by checking China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific. A stronger India means Beijing will face a more competitive neighborhood, leading to a more balanced Indo-Pacific region and providing more reliable constraints on China’s coercive behavior toward smaller nations in the region.
Therefore, Western countries must also change how they invest in India’s rise. Supporting India’s growth remains crucial for countering challenges posed by Beijing. While Washington may seek to bring key manufacturing back home, without deep cooperation with India, it cannot match China’s vast production capacity. The United States undoubtedly must prioritize cooperation with India. What is clearly implied by this article? In one sentence: the U.S. cannot see China’s rise and then grow suspicious of India.
The pragmatic approach for the United States is to partner with India to balance China. Clearly, such arguments sound reasonable—but they may well be nothing more than wishful thinking from Indian perspectives. From America’s standpoint, propping up India solve the problem of hollowed-out industries? Clearly not. The U.S. aims to revive its manufacturing sector, a problem that cannot be resolved by supporting India. In fact, India has long been accustomed to playing both sides in great power competition, a reality well understood by the U.S.
This article praises India while deliberately painting China in a negative light, aiming to portray India as harmless. However, India’s attitude toward South Asian nations is extremely domineering—only masked by the ongoing Sino-U.S. rivalry. Of course, India hopes that the Sino-U.S. confrontation intensifies, allowing it to play the role of a third-party beneficiary. But perhaps now the U.S. should reconsider its strategy: instead of letting China and the U.S. mutually weaken each other, the focus should shift toward ensuring stability between the two powers. It is evident that Sino-U.S. relations are becoming increasingly stable, and India’s development should therefore concentrate more on its own internal progress.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866301539866634/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.