New US National Security Strategy underscores India's Indo-Pacific role: Expert
Washington, Dec 6 : The White House's newly released National Security Strategy (NSS) sends a clear signal of continuity in Washington's long-term approach to India, senior Indo-Pacific analyst Lisa Curtis said Friday, emphasising that the document "highlights India's role in the Indo-Pacific" and reaffirms bipartisan support for closer strategic alignment.
Curtis, a former senior director for South Asia at the US National Security Council and now a leading voice at the Centre for a New American Security (CNAS), said the strategy's multiple references to India indicate strong institutional backing inside the US government.
"It highlights the Quad," she said, noting that the NSS "tells me that, you know, over the long term, the Trump administration recognises the importance of India and its relationship with India."
Curtis described the NSS as a product of deep interagency consensus. "The national security strategy is developed over a period of time. It requires a lot of thought and coordination among the different government agencies. So it's not something to take lightly. I think it has a lot of meaning, and it should come as a reassurance to India about how the Trump administration views India," she told IANS in an interview.
Curtis linked the positive messaging on India to the broader trajectory of US–India ties despite recent irritants. India's economic and defence links to the US, she argued, continue to carry strategic weight. She noted that Washington's pledge to expand trade with India to "500 billion by 2030" compared with India–Russia trade targets demonstrates the scale and ambition of the bilateral relationship.
At the same time, Curtis pointed to areas of concern, including technology security risks from Russia's outreach to India. She cited reporting that "Russia is trying to use India to create a sovereign system of technology separate from the West… and that it's trying to integrate into India's cybersecurity and IT networks," warning that this "would not be helpful for India."
She added that "Russia has a very close relationship with China," raising questions about where sensitive Indian technologies might ultimately flow.
Curtis argued that India's rising role in the Indo-Pacific was central to the strategy's framing. India, she said, faces strategic decisions on whether it "is gonna benefit more by cooperating with the US, for instance, in the AI race," adding that the future "holds more promise for India in developing its relationship with the United States."
She also said the strategic landscape affects how Washington views India's diplomatic engagements, including its ties with Russia. Despite recent tensions over tariffs and perceived policy divergence, she said, "Hopefully that will pass, and we'll see a future that is focused on elevating the US–India relationship and strengthening the foundations of that partnership."
National Security Strategies, submitted periodically to Congress, outline the overarching foreign-policy doctrine of a US administration.
The 2025 strategy emphasises competition with China, strengthening alliances, and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific—a framework in which India is increasingly regarded as a central partner. India–US strategic ties have expanded across defence, technology, maritime security, and critical and emerging technologies over the past decade.
Curtis, a former senior director for South Asia at the US National Security Council and now a leading voice at the Centre for a New American Security (CNAS), said the strategy's multiple references to India indicate strong institutional backing inside the US government.
"It highlights the Quad," she said, noting that the NSS "tells me that, you know, over the long term, the Trump administration recognises the importance of India and its relationship with India."
Curtis described the NSS as a product of deep interagency consensus. "The national security strategy is developed over a period of time. It requires a lot of thought and coordination among the different government agencies. So it's not something to take lightly. I think it has a lot of meaning, and it should come as a reassurance to India about how the Trump administration views India," she told IANS in an interview.
Curtis linked the positive messaging on India to the broader trajectory of US–India ties despite recent irritants. India's economic and defence links to the US, she argued, continue to carry strategic weight. She noted that Washington's pledge to expand trade with India to "500 billion by 2030" compared with India–Russia trade targets demonstrates the scale and ambition of the bilateral relationship.
At the same time, Curtis pointed to areas of concern, including technology security risks from Russia's outreach to India. She cited reporting that "Russia is trying to use India to create a sovereign system of technology separate from the West… and that it's trying to integrate into India's cybersecurity and IT networks," warning that this "would not be helpful for India."
She added that "Russia has a very close relationship with China," raising questions about where sensitive Indian technologies might ultimately flow.
Curtis argued that India's rising role in the Indo-Pacific was central to the strategy's framing. India, she said, faces strategic decisions on whether it "is gonna benefit more by cooperating with the US, for instance, in the AI race," adding that the future "holds more promise for India in developing its relationship with the United States."
She also said the strategic landscape affects how Washington views India's diplomatic engagements, including its ties with Russia. Despite recent tensions over tariffs and perceived policy divergence, she said, "Hopefully that will pass, and we'll see a future that is focused on elevating the US–India relationship and strengthening the foundations of that partnership."
National Security Strategies, submitted periodically to Congress, outline the overarching foreign-policy doctrine of a US administration.
The 2025 strategy emphasises competition with China, strengthening alliances, and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific—a framework in which India is increasingly regarded as a central partner. India–US strategic ties have expanded across defence, technology, maritime security, and critical and emerging technologies over the past decade.