No look back for the India-US strategic partnership: The US has delivered on India-China standoff

On 20 July 2020, the US carrier strike group led by the gigantic nuclear-powered USS Nimitz conducted a passage military drill with Indian warships near the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago to contain the Chinese aggression. The US and Indian navies have been conducting exercises frequently since the 1990s which are now a significant component of their deepening relationship. The ties between the two nations have come a long way. Unlike the Cold War period when both nations were stuck in a wary relationship, the India-US relationship has evolved into a robust strategic partnership. The post-9/11 Islamic terrorism security threat environment and more particularly the rise of a militarily aggressive authoritarian China have underpinned this partnership. The India-China standoff in the Galwan Valley and China’s geopolitical move to exploit the COVID-19 humanitarian crisis have just boosted the India-US strategic partnership.