Aligning the U.S. and India’s Economies and Indo-Pacific Ambitions

The U.S. and India’s cooperation has been paramount throughout the past few years — especially during the pandemic. Here’s why aligning our economies and our Indo-Pacific ambitions are so important.

The U.S. and India Are Working Together to Meet Challenges That Cannot Be Faced Alone

Universal issues like bilateral trade, job creation, vaccine production, public health, defense, and security cannot be solved alone. That’s why partnerships like the U.S. and India are crucial to bettering the economy.

“The partnership between the United States and India is indispensable — for our two countries, for the Indo-Pacific region, and … for the world,” said Wendy Sherman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State. “It will take the two largest democracies in the world — India and the United States — to meet those challenges.”

There are many ways the two countries work together to do so.

“Above all else … we are both committed to ensuring a free, open and interconnected Indo-Pacific region,” Sherman said. “That means upholding respect for the rule of law and the rules-based international order, including maritime space, promoting freedom of expression in the press, ensuring the free flow of commerce, investment ideas and information.”

Pandemic Recovery Requires Cooperation and Support Among the Indo-Pacific Region

The pandemic brought about challenges no one could have predicted or prepared for. As a result, it’s brought many countries all over the world together with a shared mission to recover.

“There is a level of interconnectedness that this pandemic has brought home to all of us,” said Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Foreign Secretary of India.

He noted that, during the first wave of the pandemic, India supplied hydroxychloroquine and other essential medicines to over 150 countries, necessary equipment to countries all over the world, and 66 million doses of Indian-manufactured vaccines.

“We have had extensive cooperation with the U.S. private sector not only in joint research and development [of vaccines], but also in the manufacturing process,” he noted.

Additionally, when India was badly hit by the second wave with the Delta variant, they “received a much-needed solidarity from the United States and other partners or friends from all over the world.”

Navigating the U.S.-India Relationship in Regards to China

While the U.S. and China have a rocky relationship, this doesn’t negatively impact the interconnectedness of the United States and India.

“Shared democratic values are the bedrock of the U.S.-India relationship,” said Sherman. “We’re the oldest and largest democracies in the world … and we've reaffirmed our strategic partnership over several past administrations.”

To ensure issues with China do not bleed into the U.S.-India partnership, the United States does not uphold expectations regarding its allies and their relations with China.

“We don’t ask countries to choose between the United States and the PRC, but we do ask for a level playing field,” Sherman said. “We all are ready to do the work that’s necessary to ensure the prosperity, peace, and stability in the world.”