Under President Donald Trump, the United States has shifted from ideological alignment to strategic ambiguity in Asia. In one breath, Washington lauds its relationship with India. In another, it re-engages China on trade and rolls out the red carpet for Pakistan&rsquo;s military leadership. What looks like a balancing act is, in fact, a deliberate recalibration of U.S. power in the Indo-Pacific&mdash;designed to extract maximum leverage from every player in the region.
At the centre of this multi-vector policy stands India&mdash;a vital partner, but not the only one.
During a press briefing earlier this week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed concerns around Washington&rsquo;s seemingly contradictory engagements. &ldquo;India remains a very strategic ally in the Asia Pacific,&rdquo; she affirmed, adding that &ldquo;the President has a very good relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and he will continue to have that.&rdquo; She further confirmed that the long-anticipated India-US trade agreement is near completion and that &ldquo;you&rsquo;ll hear from the President and his trade team very soon.&rdquo;
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&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt
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This statement, while reassuring, is also revealing. It signals that India holds a significant place in the American strategic matrix&mdash;but not necessarily a singular one.
Even as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar engages with U.S. officials and participates in the QUAD Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the geopolitical theatre surrounding the Indo-Pacific is evolving rapidly. The QUAD&mdash;comprising India, the U.S., Japan, and Australia&mdash;remains a key counterweight to <a title="China" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/international/us-china-trade-talks-set-for-london/13167" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China's</a> assertiveness in the region. And with President Trump accepting Prime Minister Modi&rsquo;s invitation to attend the upcoming QUAD Summit in New Delhi, it seems the partnership is gaining traction.
Yet, parallel signals suggest America&rsquo;s loyalties are fluid. Washington has rekindled trade negotiations with Beijing, dialled down its anti-China rhetoric, and&mdash;most provocatively&mdash;hosted Pakistan&rsquo;s Field Marshal Muneer at the White House. This marks a shift in tone towards Islamabad, a country often accused of sheltering terrorist elements and complicity in destabilising South Asia.
Such mixed messaging should not surprise anyone closely watching the Trump administration&rsquo;s foreign policy. It is not about choosing allies, but about managing options. In today&rsquo;s multipolar world, the U.S. is hedging&mdash;seeking multiple points of influence rather than relying on long-standing alliances.
For India, this presents both opportunity and risk.
On one hand, New Delhi&rsquo;s strategic utility is growing. <a title="India" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/geo-politics/rajnath-chinese-defence-minister-hold-talks-at-sco/15041" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India</a> is a key player in regional security, a robust market for American defence and tech sectors, and a counterweight to China&rsquo;s ambitions. But on the other, India&rsquo;s traditional insistence on strategic autonomy and its historic defence ties with Russia limit how far this relationship can be pushed.
Trump&rsquo;s outreach to China and Pakistan is, in part, a recognition that Washington cannot afford to alienate any significant actor in Asia. As the U.S. attempts to isolate Russia over the Ukraine crisis, it needs to ensure that Beijing does not further entrench its alliance with Moscow. Similarly, Pakistan&rsquo;s military establishment still holds sway over Afghan regional security and retains its relevance in Washington&rsquo;s South Asia calculus.
Seen through that lens, Trump&rsquo;s moves are less about building trust and more about building tactical advantage.
So what does this mean for India?
Firstly, New Delhi must not mistake warm words for unwavering support. America&rsquo;s definition of &ldquo;strategic ally&rdquo; is evolving&mdash;no longer bound by mutual treaties, but shaped by converging interests that can shift with elections, economic priorities, or regional crises.
Secondly, India must deepen its own resilience within the QUAD and beyond. It must diversify its defence procurement, bolster regional influence, and engage ASEAN, Europe, and African partners more consistently. While the U.S. remains a powerful partner, India&rsquo;s path must remain rooted in autonomy, not dependency.
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Lastly, India should remain mindful that it is operating in a region where American loyalty is increasingly transactional. Trump&rsquo;s embrace of multiple rivals, adversaries, and partners alike signals a post-unipolar world. In this world, India must be a player, not a pawn.
In short, the United States under Trump is not playing favourites&mdash;it is playing chess. India, with its weight, must move wisely on this board, guarding against both overconfidence and complacency.

US President Donald Trump with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (image source: PIB)

Washington praises India, courts China and Pakistan—Trump’s Indo-Pacific game is multifaceted

Trump’s Asia Pivot Keeps India Close, Others Closer

Washington praises India, courts China and Pakistan—Trump’s Indo-Pacific game is multifaceted

July 1, 2025 | 12:26 IST