Roller coaster relationship with US
However, the roller coaster relationship with the United States this year has only proved that it is not a reliable friend of India’s. If anything, Donald Trump has done long term damage to the relationship which will take a long time to undo even if a trade deal is reached. The Quad – a grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia and India- had strengthened considerably in recent years but with Trump’s belligerence towards friends and allies, things look hazy. Washington’s double standards are also on display yet again. Its ok for Trump to meet Putin, as he did in Alaska, but not for Putin to meet Modi.
In the long run, India needs good ties with both the EU, America on one side and Russia on the other, primarily to look out for it’s defence and security interests in the neighbourhood. Putting all our eggs into the American basket was never an option and should not be. But no matter how difficult it is, New Delhi will have to keep doing a balancing act for it’s own national interest.