While the subsequent unclassified summary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy did not mention India explicitly, it did make clear that “inter-state competition” represented the DoD’s top priority. In that competition, the NDS emphasized the importance of America’s “robust constellation of allies and partners.”

More recently, echoing the NSS, the DoD’s 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report underscored the importance of India to U.S. national security. A militarily capable and economically prosperous India can serve as an additional center of power in the region to deter aggression by China and help defend a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

Though important bilateral challenges remain, particularly with respect to Russia , there is much to unify the U.S. and India. India’s strategic interests, democratic character, opposition to Islamist terrorism and strong people-to-people ties with the United States make New Delhi and Washington natural partners.

Indeed, New Delhi shares many of Washington’s concerns regarding Beijing. It is India, after all, that has gone to war with China as recently as the 1960s. India shares with China a long and disputed border, as underscored in the 2017 Doklam border incident, which saw Indian and Chinese soldiers come to blows.

Based on these shared interests and values, the U.S. declared India in 2016 a major defense partner. Washington and New Delhi have also codified a number of important agreements. This includes the 2016 Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement, which provides formal access to each country’s military facilities for fueling and logistical support. It also includes the 2018 Communications, Compatibility and Security Agreement, which allows the U.S. to transfer to India secure data and communication equipment.