Media

Key Takeaways

• The United States and India share fundamental concerns about China and want to collaborate on defense and critical technology. The U.S.-India strategic partnership is on an upward trajectory and is expected to weather the upcoming change in U.S. leadership.
• India is closely watching the U.S. election but expects overall continuity in U.S. policy given Modi’s positive relations with both Republican and Democratic leaders. Presumptive Democratic candidate Kamala Harris is seen in India as supportive of deeper U.S.-India ties, and former President Donald Trump and Modi also built significant rapport.
• Harris would aim to build on President Joe Biden’s expanded economic and strategic partnership with India, which focused on technology, clean energy, and critical minerals. She could further advance progress under the initiative for Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), Trade Policy Forum (TPF), Commercial Dialogue, and U.S.-India 2+2 Dialogue. She may, however, put more emphasis on Indian human rights and democracy issues than Biden.
• A second Trump presidency would likely return to a more transactional and less process-oriented relationship with India, which could lead to renewed trade tensions amid overall strong ties. Trump would put less emphasis than Harris on human rights, climate change, or India-Russia relations.