We turn our attention to foreign policy in this episode and we’re going to be looking at the India-U.S. relationship specifically keeping the China factor in mind. These discussions take on particular significance as a new administration has just taken charge in the U.S. and that means a change in tone and style in the way that they deal with diplomatic relations around the world.

Speaking at his confirmation hearing, President Joe Biden’s nominee for secretary of state, Anthony Blinken, said that India is ‘bipartisan success story’, and made it clear that strategic ties with India will remain strong, especially on the Indo-Pacific and there would be continuity from the Trump administration in dealing with China’s aggressive actions. Yet, while the Trump administration maintained a consistently acrimonious relationship with China, something that suited India as it was looking for assurances on security, there are indications that the Biden administration may try something more of a balancing act, taking a hard line on some issues and seeking cooperation on others like climate change and..

What could this change in style, and the new personnel that the Biden administration will soon confirm, mean for the three way relationship between India-US and China. And as we look back on the Trump Presidency, we ask what is the legacy it has left on India-US relations and how it can be built on.

Guest: Tanvi Madan, Senior Fellow Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution

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The China factor in India-US ties under the Biden administration | The Hindu In Focus Podcast