Washington, June 4: India and the United States have successfully stabilized their relationship following the challenges of 2025. However, rebuilding trust and rekindling the ambition that characterized this partnership in recent years will take time. This was stated by former senior U.S. diplomat Nisha Desai Biswal in a recent interview.
In her remarks, Biswal noted that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio‘s recent visit to India has further strengthened ongoing cooperation between the two nations. Yet, some fundamental tensions remain unresolved.
“We have seen the India-U.S. relationship gradually improve after the difficulties of 2025. Continuous efforts have been made from both sides to enhance and stabilize the relationship,” she said.
Biswal emphasized that Rubio’s visit advanced this direction and underscored the importance of maintaining stability in bilateral ties. However, she acknowledged that several issues are still open.
For instance, concerns regarding U.S.-Pakistan relations and how the U.S. engages with Pakistan remain. According to her, Rubio was unable to fully alleviate these concerns.
Despite this, Biswal expressed optimism about the strong foundation between the two countries, noting that cooperation continues to grow across various sectors.
She highlighted that India and the U.S. will collaborate in areas where partnerships can be strengthened, such as critical minerals, digital technology, and trust partnerships.
According to Biswal, technology and digital infrastructure remain the largest areas of engagement between the two nations.
She stated that the U.S., India, Europe, and Japan will continue to work together in technology, supply chains, pharmaceuticals, and other sensitive sectors in the future.
Biswal remarked that recent events have not completely undermined decades of progress.
“It is not that everything has come to an end, but the current circumstances have altered expectations for how high the relationship could rise,” she noted.
She added that the goal now is to maintain stability in the relationship and advance existing cooperation. However, there is some hesitation and a slight decline in confidence regarding taking the relationship to new heights.
Discussing trade negotiations, Biswal expressed confidence that both countries are nearing an agreement.
“In my view, the talks are in the final stages. I am confident that a trade agreement will be reached soon,” she said. She mentioned that an initial agreement could pave the way for addressing larger issues like manufacturing, digital systems, and non-tariff barriers.
Biswal served as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs from 2013 to 2017, overseeing significant expansion in the U.S.-India strategic partnership. She currently works as a partner at The Asia Group, advising companies on geopolitical and economic changes in the Indo-Pacific region.
Over the past two decades, India and the U.S. have significantly enhanced their relationship across various sectors, including defense, trade, technology, energy, and people-to-people connections. Today, this relationship is considered a crucial foundation for stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Both countries are also members of the Quad, which works to maintain an open and stable Indo-Pacific, especially amid rising strategic competition.
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