India–United States relations
Bilateral relations / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Relations between India and the United States date back to India's independence movement and have continued well after independence from the United Kingdom in 1947. Currently, India and the United States enjoy close relations and have deepened collaboration on issues such as counterterrorism and countering Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.[1]
India |
United States |
---|---|
Diplomatic mission | |
Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. | Embassy of the United States, New Delhi |
Envoy | |
Ambassador Vacant since 1 Feb 2024 | Ambassador Eric Garcetti |
In 1954, the United States made Pakistan a Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) ally.[2] As a result, India cultivated strategic and military relations with the Soviet Union to counter Pakistan–United States relations.[3] In 1961, India became a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement to abstain from aligning with either the US or the USSR in the Cold War.[4] The Nixon administration's support for Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 affected relations until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. In the 1990s, Indian foreign policy adapted to the unipolar world and India developed closer ties with the United States.[5]
In the twenty-first century, Indian foreign policy has sought to leverage India's strategic autonomy to safeguard sovereign rights and promote national interests within a multi-polar world.[6][7] Under the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush (2001–09) and Barack Obama (2009–2017), the United States has demonstrated accommodation to India's core national interests and acknowledged outstanding concerns.[8] Increase in bilateral trade and investment, co-operation on global security matters, inclusion of India in decision-making on matters of global governance (United Nations Security Council), upgraded representation in trade and investment forums (World Bank, IMF, APEC), admission into multilateral export control regimes (MTCR, Wassenaar Arrangement, Australia Group) and support for admission in the Nuclear Suppliers Group and joint-manufacturing through technology sharing arrangements have become key milestones and a measure of speed and advancement on the path to closer US–India relations.[9][10] Since 2014, strategic cooperation between the two nations has deepened[11] and India was declared a "Major Defense Partner" of the United States.[12] India and the United States have also stepped up their cooperation among multilateral groups such as The Quad and I2U2 Group.[13]
Gallup's annual World Affairs survey shows India is perceived by Americans as their sixth favorite nation in the world, with 71% of Americans viewing India favorably in 2015,[14] and 70% in 2023.[15] Gallup polls found that 74% of Americans viewed India favorably in 2017,[16] 72% in 2019,[17] 75% in 2020[18] and 77% in 2022.[19] According to a Morning Consult poll conducted in August 2021 after the fall of Afghanistan, 79% of Indians viewed the United States favorably, compared to 10% who viewed the United States unfavorably, the highest percentage out of all 15 major countries surveyed, more favorable than even how most Americans viewed the United States.[20]