Ripon Forum


Vol. 54, No. 4

View Print Edition

In this edition

“There are some things you don’t want to be right about.” That was Mac Thornberry’s response when he was asked following the 9/11 terrorist attacks how it felt to have introduced a bill to establish a Homeland Security Agency six months before…

The Fight Against COVID-19 and the Lessons of 1918

A Conversation with John Barry about his 2005 book regarding the Great Influenza pandemic 102 years ago and the lessons that can be learned today.

Better Connecting Rural America

If we can communicate with humans on the moon, surely we can find a way to deliver reliable broadband here on Planet Earth.

When a Pandemic and an Epidemic Collide

Since the pandemic began, more than 40 states have reported increases in substance- related deaths.

EXIT INTERVIEW

From the Republican Revolution of 1994 to the global pandemic of 2020, the Texas Republican 26 and retiring lawmaker reflects on some of the more notable developments over his 26 year congressional career.

MEETING THE THREAT

According to the Nebraska Senator, dangerous activity by Russia and China underscores the importance of enacting the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

Transatlantic Relations in Flux

We are at an inflection point after three post-Cold War decades, and the choices confronting the U.S. when it comes to its relations with Europe will shape transatlantic relations going forward.

Seven Years into China’s Belt and Road

American officials have criticized the program as “debt trap diplomacy.” While it is hard to find evidence of debt trap diplomacy, there are real concerns about debt sustainability.

Outcompeting China: A Roadmap for the U.S.

Rather than decoupling the two largest economies in the world, there is a smarter approach to confronting legitimate problems posed by China’s economic model.

The Importance of India and the Growing Chinese Threat

Amid rising tensions with China, the relationship between the U.S. and India has been transformed from one of estranged democracies to engaged democracies.

U.S. Foreign Policy After the Pandemic

While conflict prevention has long been a focus of foreign assistance, the intersection of conflict prevention with other global challenges should be at the forefront of America’s response.

Ripon Profile of Ann Wagner

Ann Wagner discusses the issues facing America’s suburbs and how she’s working to address them.

The Importance of India and the Growing Chinese Threat

The triangular relationship between the United States, China, and India particularly resonates in current geo-politics since Covid-19. China’s belligerence has lent urgency to the need for a coalition of democratic countries to deal with China. It is an irony of history that the U.S. and India – two of the world’s largest and most vibrant democracies – could not engage with each other in a meaningful manner in the post-war period. It was only when communist China attacked India in 1962 that a new era of relations between India and the U.S. was set in motion. Since then, there has been no looking back, and the relationship between the two countries has been transformed from estranged democracies to engaged democracies.

The renaming of the U.S. Pacific Command as the Indo-Pacific Command on June 1, 2018 was a strategic gesture by the United States to co-opt India in the Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China’s belligerence. In September 2018, the India-U.S. defense relationship received a major boost at the 2+2 Dialogue in New Delhi, where the “foundational” Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) was signed between the two countries. COMCASA enables the Indian military to get a better picture of the Indian Ocean region, which is seeing an increase in Chinese activity.  

The relationship between the two countries has been transformed from estranged democracies to engaged democracies.

Prime Minister Modi, in his characteristic style, hosted President Donald Trump in the capital city of Gujarat on February 24th of this year and regaled him in a rousing road show from the airport to the Motera stadium. The India-U.S. relationship was elevated to “Global Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” and Prime Minister Modi hailed it as one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century. When President Trump gave his address at Motera stadium, he referenced the elephant in the room and contrasted India’s democracy to China, which he called “a nation that seeks power through coercion, intimidation, and aggression.”

It was indeed a great strategic gesture on behalf of the U.S. to support India when a bloody clash took place between the armies of the two countries in the Golwan Valley on June 15th in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed and the Chinese army suffered a number of casualties as well. Launching a scathing attack on China, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “The Chinese took incredibly aggressive action.” He also lauded India’s befitting response, saying, “The Indians have done their best to respond to that.”

On the night of August 29th, in the latest round of ongoing escalation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along the India-China border in Ladakh, the Indian Army thwarted the Chinese Army’s attempt to transgress into the Indian side. The U.S. supported India’s position. Reiterating Secretary Pompeo’s earlier remarks that the United States hoped for a peaceful resolution to the border standoff between the two countries, U.S. Assistant Secretary for East Asia and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell asked both sides to follow their commitment to resolve the issue through peaceful means and dialogue.

The U.S. also supported India’s courageous move to ban 118 mobile apps in light of new information that they engaged in activities which are prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity, defense, and security of India and public order. In fact, The State Department developed their own initiative to ensure that Americans’ privacy, companies’ proprietary information, and their own diplomatic communications are protected by eliminating possible vulnerabilities through telecommunications services, app stores, cloud storage, and undersea cable infrastructure. They called on “all freedom-loving nations and companies” to join them in their efforts in instituting a ‘Clean Network,’ which the Trump Administration rolled out in response to the possibility of aggressive intrusions by malign actors such as the Chinese Communist Party.

Throughout Covid-19, we have seen an unprecedented level of solidarity between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi.

The outbreak of coronavirus and its spread also resonated within the triangular relationship among the three countries. The growing estrangement between India and China and corresponding bonding between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi was evident from a new development. Prime Minister Modi spoke to nearly all world leaders in April, including President Trump, but not to a top Chinese leader, suggesting an estrangement between the two leaders.

Throughout Covid-19, we have seen an unprecedented level of solidarity between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi. In a telephonic conversation with Trump on April 4th, Modi reiterated India’s solidarity with the U.S. in overcoming the global crisis together and to resolutely and effectively combat Covid-19. The words of intent were quickly demonstrated in concrete action when Modi rescinded an extant domestic law that banned the export of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to the United States at the request of President Trump for the treatment of American COVID-19 patients at a time when there was pressing domestic demand for the drug.

President Trump reciprocated the goodwill gesture when the U.S. handed over 100 ventilators, valued about $1.2 million, to India on June 16th. Now, there are at least three possible vaccines which American and Indian companies are working together to develop and test.

Rup Narayan Das retired as joint secretary in the Lok Sabha Secretariat of Indian Parliament last year and is a senior fellow of the Indian Council of Social Science Research at the Indian Institute of Public Administration in New Delhi.