US-India Relations Hit 25-Year Low Amid Political Mistrust

Strategic experts meeting in Washington, D.C., warned on December 3 that the relationship between the United States and India has reached its lowest point in 25 years. Lisa Curtis, director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at CNAS, noted that political mistrust and geopolitical pressures have driven this deterioration.

Contributing factors include stalled trade talks, sharp tariff hikes, and insulting social media posts from senior officials. Tensions were further aggravated by the U.S. invitation of Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir to the Oval Office following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Simultaneously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling India's continued pursuit of strategic autonomy despite U.S. pressure.

Despite the diplomatic decline, the panel observed that functional cooperation in defense and technology remains intact. Analysts maintain that a strong alignment between the two nations is still essential to counter the rise of China in the Indo-Pacific region.