China’s View of South Asia and the Indian Ocean

[Ray]

Ray, thanks for replying. Do you think a military alliance between the US and India would be a potent enough deterrent to China? What are your feelings on the likelihood of such an alliance/pact from the Indian side?

India is said to be having a 'strategic relationship' with the US.

It has meant buying US equipment and some naval exercises and some visits of military personnel.

Earlier the US troops were trained at the Indian Jungle Warfare and Counter Insurgency School, had exercises in Ladakh (High Altitude), some HAHO exercises with the Indian Paratroopers, and some naval and air force exercises.

I presume it was more for interoperability and little in the way of strategic alliance.

There is no doubt that a US - India military alliance would be a deterrent to China and maybe that is why there is closer cooperation between India and the US in many fields, beyond defence, to include economically making India a challenge to China.

However, India has to tread carefully since abandoning Russia would make it closer to Pakistan and a Russia - China - Pakistan axis will not be in the interest of either India or the US.

While most Indians root for the US, yet even amongst them, quite a few are sceptical about US' reliability as an 'ally', in the military and strategic sense, since US is not taken to be quite in the mould of a 'friend in need, is a friend indeed'.

India is not an Anglo Saxon country and uncomfortable a truth that it maybe, Carl's statement is valid to understand the equation

Obviously this is a hypothetical discussion but it is still remarkable that we are having it. Would we be even having the same discussion if the country in question were Australia?

Even a 'natural' ally Israel is finding going difficult since US interests override!

Therefore, if Israel is having problems, India has no hope in hell!

Hence, India is satisfied with the US as a 'friend'.