Changing Contours of America’s South Asia Strategy

Abstract

The US’ South Asia strategy is changing in response to shifts in geopolitics. The withdrawal from Afghanistan and the growing challenge of China have occasioned changes in the US’ approach towards the region. Besides, the Indo-Pacific has also emerged as a new framework for US’ engagement with South Asia. Three changes are clearly discernible: first, the US has reduced its focus on counter-terrorism, second, it is building strategic partnerships with like-minded countries for limiting China’s influence in South Asia and, finally, it has been gradually expanding ties with smaller South Asian Island States like Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The changing contours of the US’ South Asia strategy are here to stay.

Keywords:

• South Asia
• Indo-Pacific
• India
• China
• Sri Lanka
• Maldives

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The White House, ‘Remarks by President Biden on the End of the War in Afghanistan’, 31 August 2021, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/08/31/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-end-of-the-war-in-afghanistan/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

2. Sameer Patil, ‘Ayman al-Zawahiri’s Killing and the US’ ‘Over-the-Horizon’ Counterterrorism Capability’, Observer Research Foundation, 30 August 2022, at https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/ayman-al-zawahiris-killing-and-the-us-over-the-horizon/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

3. Department of State, ‘Special Representative for Afghanistan’, at https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/special-representative-for-afghanistan/#:~:text=As%20such%2C%20Special%20Representative%20Thomas,their%20eligible%20family%20members%20for (Accessed 16 June 2023).

4. Ministry of External Affairs, ‘India–USA Joint Statement during the Official State Visit of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi to USA’, 23 June 2023, at https://www.mea.gov.in/outoging-visit-detail.htm?36711/IndiaUSA+Joint+Statement+during+the+Official+State+visit+of+Prime+Minister+Shri+Narendra+Modi+to+USA (Accessed 27 January 2024).

5. Department of Defense, 2022 National Defence Strategy, Washington DC, 2022.

6. Brahma Chellaney, ‘China’s Debt-Trap Diplomacy’, Project Syndicate, 23 January 2027, at https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/china-one-belt-one-road-loans-debt-by-brahma-chellaney-2017–01 (Accessed 16 June 2023).

7. Marwaan Macan-Markar, ‘China Debt Trap Fear Haunts Maldives Government’, Nikkei Asia, 15 September 2020, at https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Belt-and-Road/China-debt-trap-fear-haunts-Maldives-government (Accessed 16 June 2023).

8. The White House, ‘Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States’, February 2022, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/U.S.-Indo-Pacific-Strategy.pdf (Accessed 16 June 2023).

9. Ibid.

10. Seema Guha, ‘US Flags India’s Human Rights Record At 2 + 2 Dialogue, Monitors Development’, Outlook, 12 April 2022, at https://www.outlookindia.com/international/us-flags-india-s-human-rights-record-at-2–2-dialogue-monitors-development-news-191302 (Accessed 16 June 2023).

11. Saleha Mohsin, ‘US Freezes Afghan Central Bank’s Assets of $9.5bn’, Al Jazeera, 18 August 2021, at https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/18/us-freezes-afghan-central-banks-assets-of-9-5bn#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20has%20frozen%20nearly,an%20administration%20official%20confirmed%20Tuesday (Accessed 16 June 2023).

12. Marvin G. Weinbaum, ‘A Reassessment of American Policy toward Taliban Afghanistan’, Middle East Institute, 26 April 2023, at https://www.mei.edu/publications/reassessment-american-policy-toward-taliban-afghanistan, (Accessed 16 June 2023).

13. Patricia Zengerle and Humeyra Pamuk, ‘Blinken Says U.S. will Assess Pakistan Ties over Afghanistan’s Future’, Reuters, 14 September 2023, at https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/blinken-says-us-will-assess-pakistan-ties-over-afghanistans-future-2021-09-13/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

14. Ibid.

15. Matt Viser, ‘Party Gatherings Give a Window into Biden’s Mind, from Nukes to Pelosi’, The Washington Post, 19 October 2022, at https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/19/party-gatherings-window-biden-mind/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

16. Madiha Afzal, ‘The Biden Administration’s Two-Track Pakistan Policy Misses the Mark’, Brookings Institution, 2 March 2023, at https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2023/03/02/the-biden-administrations-two-track-pakistan-policy-misses-the-mark/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

17. US Department of State, ‘U.S. Relations with Pakistan’, 15 August 2022, at https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-pakistan/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

18. Ibid.

19. Ibid.

20. Defence Security Cooperation Agency, ‘Pakistan—F-16 Case for Sustainment’, 7 September 2022, at https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/pakistan-f-16-case-sustainment (Accessed 16 June 2023).

21. Madiha Afzal, no.16.

22. Christian Oliver, ‘Pakistan: Don’t Ask Us to Choose between the US and China’, Politico, 14 June 2023, at https://www.politico.eu/article/pakistan-choose-us-china-global-power-bloc-hina-rabbani-khar/, (Accessed 26 January 2024).

23. Defence Security Cooperation Agency, no. 20.

24. ‘India’s Foreign Minister on Ties with America, China and Russia’, The Economist, 15 June 2023, at https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/06/15/indias-foreign-minister-on-ties-with-america-china-and-russia (Accessed 22 June 2023).

25. Ibid.

26. Arjun Sengupta, ‘US Govt Charges Indian in “Foiled Plot to Kill Khalistani Separatist”: What We Know so Far’, The Indian Express, 30 November 2023, at https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/us-govt-khalistan-assassination-pannun-9047622/ (Accessed 26 January 2024).

27. Ministry of External Affairs, ‘Joint Statement on the Second India–USA Strategic and Commercial Dialogue’, 31 August 2016, at https://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/27350/Joint+statement+on+the+Second+IndiaUS+Strategic+and+Commercial+Dialogue, (Accessed 26 January 2024).

28. Arun Singh, ‘US–India Relations: New Directions, Old Differences’, NatStrat, 7 June 2023, at https://natstrat.org/articledetail/publications/us-india-relations-new-directions-old-differences-74.html (Accessed 16 June 2023).

29. Department of State, ‘U.S. Relations with India’, 18 July 2022, at https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-india/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

30. The Economist, no. 24.

31. PTI, ‘India Dismisses China’s Concerns on Military Exercise with US in Uttarakhand’, The Economic Times, 1 December 2022, at https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/india-dismisses-chinas-concerns-on-military-exercise-with-us-in-ukhand/articleshow/95917514.cms (Accessed 16 June 2023).

32. The White House, ‘Fact Sheet: United States and India Elevate Strategic Partnership with the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET)’, 31 January 2023, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/31/fact-sheet-united-states-and-india-elevate-strategic-partnership-with-the-initiative-on-critical-and-emerging-technology-icet/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

33. Department of Defense, ‘Secretary Austin Concludes India Visit’, 5 June 2023, at https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3416249/secretary-austin-concludes-india-visit/, (Accessed 16 June 2023).

34. ANI, ‘Technology Absorption for GE F414 Engine Co-production to Take about 3 Years: HAL Chief’, 27 November 2023, at https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/technology-absorption-for-ge-f414-engine-co-production-to-take-about-3-years-hal-chief20231127153916/ (Accessed 26 January 2024).

35. Huma Siddiqui, ‘What Is the GE-F414 Engine that India Will Get This Week?’, The Financial Express, 20 June 2023, at https://www.financialexpress.com/business/defence-what-is-the-ge-f414-engine-that-india-will-get-this-week-3133340/ (Accessed 22 June 2023).

36. Ministry of External Affairs, ‘India–US Bilateral Relations’, June 2023, at https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/IndUS.pdf (Accessed 25 January 2024).

37. Ibid.

38. Ibid.

39. Mohammad Soliman, ‘In Saudi, US Embraces a West Asia Architecture with India, UAE’, al-Monitor, 13 May 2023, at https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/05/saudi-us-embraces-west-asia-architecture-india-uae, (Accessed 16 June 2023).

40. Sankalp Gurjar, ‘Will the India–Middle East–Europe Corridor Outshine or Supplement New Delhi’s Eurasian Outreach?’, India Narrative, 20 September 2023, at https://www.indianarrative.com/opinion-news/will-the-india-middle-east-europe-corridor-outshine-or-supplement-new-delhis-eurasian-outreach-151973.html (Accessed 26 January 2024).

41. PTI, ‘No Decision Yet on India Joining Trade Pillar of IPEF: Official’, The Economic Times, 18 October 2023, at https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/no-decision-yet-on-india-joining-trade-pillar-of-ipef-official/articleshow/104515955.cms?from=mdr (Accessed 26 January 2024).

42. Department of Defense, no. 33.

43. US Embassy in Bangladesh, ‘Remarks of Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman in Indian Ocean Conference’, 13 May 2023, at https://bd.usembassy.gov/29677/(Accessed 16 June 2023).

44. Department of Defense, ‘The Maldives and U.S. Sign Defense Agreement’, 11 September 2020, at https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2344512/the-maldives-and-us-sign-defense-agreement/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

45. Department of State, ‘U.S. Relations with Maldives’, 31 August 2022, at https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-maldives/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

46. Department of State, ‘U.S. Relations with Sri Lanka’, 21 June 2022, at https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-sri-lanka/ (Accessed 16 June 2023).

47. Shihar Aneez, ‘U.S. Wants Military Cooperation Pact with Sri Lanka to Tackle Red Tape: TV’, Reuters, 19 July 2019, at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sri-lanka-usa-defence-idUSKCN1UG062 (Accessed 16 June 2023).

48. Department of State, ‘U.S. Security Cooperation with Bangladesh’, 6 April 2022, at https://www.state.gov/u-s-security-cooperation-with-bangladesh (Accessed 16 June 2023).

49. ‘US Summit for Democracy Excludes Bangladesh again’, The Business Standard, 14 February 2023, at https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/us-summit-democracy-skips-bangladesh-again-585198, (Accessed 16 June 2023).

Additional information

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Sankalp Gurjar

Sankalp Gurjar is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Geopolitics and International Relations, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Udupi, India. He is the author of ‘The Superpowers’ Playground: Djibouti and Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific in the 21st Century’ (Routledge, 2023). He works on Geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific, South Asian Geopolitics and India’s National Security.