US-India Bilateral relations during the Trump and Biden Administrations: The China Factor

Abstract

This study examines how the bilateral U.S.–India relations evolved under the Trump and Biden administrations, focusing on the influence of China’s rise. Key findings indicate that both administrations strengthened U.S.–India ties in response to China, but with differing styles. The Trump presidency pursued a relatively transactional, bilateral approach, whereas the Biden administration emphasized multilateral coalitions and institutional frameworks. Security and defense cooperation deepened markedly under both presidents, even as India hedged with Russia. But economic and technological collaboration remained contentious: Trump’s tariffs and trade war created friction, whereas Biden proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), that were only partially implemented. Throughout, India maintained strategic autonomy, balancing its U.S. partnership against other relationships such as Russia and China. Key events such as border clashes with China catalyzed deeper security ties. The analysis underscores a nuanced, multifaceted partnership shaped by strategic competition and balancing acts. A qualitative comparative approach synthesizes primary documents and secondary data to analyze diplomatic, defense, economic, and technology dimensions. These findings illuminate shifts and continuities in U.S.–India policy toward China, with implications for Indo-Pacific stability. These findings underscore the strategic convergence driven by shared China-related concerns, highlighting the U.S.–India partnership as pivotal for Indo-Pacific stability and broader U.S. foreign policy in the era of great-power competition.