India will not be the "new Japan" for the United States
On June 22, the Spanish website "World Order" published an article titled "India's Geopolitical Strategy: A Partner for All, But Not an ally for Anyone" by Rodrigo Castellanos. The article excerpt is as follows:
Indian Prime Minister Modi told Ukrainian President Zelensky at the last G7 meeting that India will do everything in its power to help end this war, which is a big problem for the world. For several months, India has been criticized for not following the West to isolate Moscow. India did not condemn Russia at the United Nations General Assembly, increased energy imports from Russia, and did not join international sanctions against Russia.
On the 22nd, Modi attended a dinner hosted by Biden at the White House.
The position on the conflict in Ukraine is just the latest important sign that India is not fully aligned with the West. India's unwillingness to turn the quadrilateral security dialogue into a military alliance has forced the relevant countries to create an alliance that does not include India - the Austro American alliance. The Taliban controlled Afghanistan, and New Delhi established relations with the Taliban regime despite opposition from the United States. India's actions indicate to the White House that it does not agree with the White House's strategy. Modi's visit to Washington this week was the same: he wanted to make it clear that his country was not neutral, but seeking to choose his own friends.
For the United States, India is its strategic ally in competition with China. The support of the United States for India's interests is a way for it to counter Beijing's influence in Asia. But India maintains relations with both superpowers, avoiding falling into a defensive logic. It hopes to have an independent foreign policy, and if it cannot benefit from befriending or being enemies with other countries, it will not do so. That's why India's partnerships with other countries seem contradictory: these partnerships are based on specific interests, not subordinate to large alliances.
Therefore, the United States will not find a new Japan in India. For decades, Japan's foreign policy has been consistent with the White House. The current Japanese government is increasingly confronting China and participating in maritime exercises in the Pacific region. Unlike Japan, India maintains a balance in its relations with other major powers based on its own interests.
