On US-India Strategic Cooperation Under The Framework Of Indo-Pacific Strategy

The US-led Indo-Pacific Strategy,whose main goal is to contain China,is increasingly becoming a "tangible" one,and gradually moving toward a little NATO in Asian region.Howerver,US-India alliance has not yet taken a key step,causing that Indo-Pacific Strategu has not really taken shape and landed.In recent years,Through strengthening strategic dialogue,military and defense trade,military technical cooperation as well as joint military exercises with India,the United States is constantly deepening the strategic cooperative relationship between the two sides and striving for India to join the Indo-Pacific Strategy as an ally.This is undoubtedly the most ideal vision of the United States.However,in the key strategic areas,such as countering China,bilateral defense cooperation and policy toward Pakistan,India’s policy can not keep highly consistent with the American goals.Besides,India’s Act East policy to some extent rejects Indo-Pacific strategy,and India even maintains contact with American enemy Iran and Russia.The strategic gaps above put the United States in a dilemma of choosing the role of India in the framework of the Indo-Pacific Strategy.According to the analysises of this study,the United States has a realistic choice for India’s role in the Indo-Pacific Strategy.First,America expects India to assist the United States in solving the transnational security problems in the Indo-Pacific region.Second,America draws India in to maintain the balance of power in the Indian Ocean region,so as to better play its role of offshore balancer.Third,America hopes India can provide geopolitical convenience in its implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy,so as to use India to better conduct the Indo-Pacific Strategy to contain China.However,due to India’s inability to assume the responsibilities of the Indo-Pacific Strategy as an ally,there are limitations in the strategic cooperation between the United States and India to contain China under the framework of the Indo-Pacific Strategy,Which can be manifested in the following aspects: Firstly,on the diplomatic level,India and the United States jointly confront China,trying to force China to make concessions and hinder China’s development,but it is difficult to make achievements;Secondly,at the economic level,India and the United States have a competitive relationship in the response initiatives to BRI,which makes it difficult to exert the effect of jointly containing China.Finally,at the military level,it is difficult for India and America to form a coordinated defense cooperation,and consequently the military pressure and threat to China are limited.Although strategic cooperation between America and India under the framework of the Indo-Pacific Strategy faced limits and difficulties,but it did bring certain negative impacts on China.The Chinese government should pay attention to it,and search for more effective ways to deal with it in a higher foreign wisdom,which mainly includes four aspects: The first one,using public diplomacy actively shape a favourable international development environment;Besides,enhancing the competitiveness of BRI and playing its role in improving China’s economic strength;Thirdly,strengthening maritime defense forces to break through the containment of China by the strategic cooperation of US-India and the QUAD in the Indo-Pacific region;Lastly,striving for India without damaging national interests,so as to divide the Quad from the structure,and reduce the threat coefficient of the Indo-Pacific Strategy.