U.S. Former High-Ranking Officials Admonish Trump Administration, Advocating for Closer Relations with India Instead of Distancing

In a recent article published in Foreign Affairs Magazine, former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and former Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell advocate for deepening US ties with India, proposing a ten-year strategic alliance between the two nations.

Sullivan and Campbell emphasize that US President Donald Trump's theatrics are often the prelude to dealmaking. They argue that the relationship between the US and India has been vulnerable to misunderstandings, missteps, and missed opportunities due to lingering distrust and misaligned expectations.

The former officials note that India and the US are both proud and independent countries, and alliances are about alignment and common purpose, not sacrificing sovereignty. They reject the perception that a strategic alliance is not mutually exclusive with strategic autonomy for India.

Richard Armitage and Joseph Nye, two other former senior US officials, proposed a similar strategy for a strategic alliance between the United States and India. Sullivan and Campbell's article builds upon this proposal, emphasizing the enduring interests in India's future that they consider more significant than interests in Pakistan regarding combating terrorism and limiting nuclear and missile proliferation.

The former officials rebuked the Trump administration for hyphenating its relations with India and Pakistan, suggesting there should be no India-Pakistan policy. They express concern about the recent degradation in US-India relations and Modi's message that he has other options. They warn that current tensions between the US and India risk a "split" that could be difficult to mend.

The proposed alliance would not be based on a traditional mutual defense pact. Instead, it would be based on mutual commitments regarding technology, defense, supply chains, intelligence, and global problem solving. Sullivan and Campbell are concerned that the current trajectory could lead to the US driving India into its adversaries' arms.

In an interview with PBS NewsHour, Campbell expressed his most significant concern about India. He believes that the relationship between the US and India has been vulnerable to misunderstandings, missteps, and missed opportunities due to lingering distrust and misaligned expectations.

Sullivan and Campbell's proposal for a ten-year strategic alliance between the US and India is a call for both nations to align their interests and work together for mutual benefit. They believe that a strengthened US-India relationship is essential for maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the world at large.

U.S. Former High-Ranking Officials Admonish Trump Administration, Advocating for Closer Relations with India Instead of Distancing