In both countries there exists internal debate on democracy and resilience of institutional checks and balances, the bedrock of both democracies.
Resisting Chinese expansionism has been a shared interest between India and the U.S in recent years, and the rising defence cooperation between the two countries is testimony to that.
But the economic relation between China US seems to be far better than India US trade relations.
American companies are very vocal about unfair state interventions and IPR (intellectual property rights) losses in China, but the Chinese market and manufacturing processes are essential for their global operations.
For the American state, China, as a threat, comes in the category of ‘important, but not urgent’, which contradicts Indian view point on China.
India has complained of American for its concerns in its policy towards Pakistan.
But there has been increasing appreciation among Washington’s strategic thinkers and policymakers of Pakistan’s duplicity in the conflict in Afghanistan.
That Pakistan exports terror to its neighbouring countries has now been stated in multiple government documents and Congressional hearings.
However, successive U.S. administrations have viewed India’s attempts to influence America’s Pakistan policy with scepticism.
While India wants the U.S. to rein in Pakistan’s sponsorship of terrorism, it does not want American opinion on Kashmir, a position that American policymakers consider contradictory.
The U.S. Department of Defence has been a champion of enhancing cooperation with India and in that effect Pentagon supports the sale of Guardian drones to India.
