Washington:
The United States is set to place India at the centre of its Indo-Pacific strategic review as a key congressional body prepares to hold a special public hearing focused on New Delhi’s evolving ties with both Washington and Beijing.
The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) announced that its first public hearing of 2026 will take place on February 17, with a dedicated focus on India’s geopolitical position and the shifting balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to the commission, the hearing will closely examine India’s relationship with China and the United States, including border tensions, maritime access in the Indian Ocean, and New Delhi’s growing influence as a regional power. Lawmakers are expected to assess how these dynamics affect broader US strategic and security interests.
The agenda will also cover the economic and technological dimensions of India–China engagement. Discussions will include trade and investment trends, supply chain dependencies, and India’s push for self-reliance in critical sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Beyond Beijing-New Delhi ties, the commission will review ongoing US policy initiatives aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership with India. Officials are expected to explore how India’s diplomatic and economic engagement with China could shape American economic competitiveness and long-term security planning.
The timing of the hearing is significant, as India weighs a calibrated reopening of economic engagement with China. Any relaxation of restrictions is expected to be linked to reciprocal steps by Beijing, following years of strained relations after the 2020 Galwan Valley border clash.
Relations between the two Asian neighbours began showing signs of recovery after high-level diplomatic engagements resumed in late 2024. A key moment came when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia, marking a turning point in bilateral dialogue.
Since then, both sides have increased diplomatic exchanges, leading to the restoration of air links suspended for nearly five years and gradual steps by New Delhi to allow Chinese firms limited access to investment and government procurement channels.
The upcoming USCC hearing is expected to offer insight into how Washington views India’s balancing act between economic pragmatism and strategic caution, as the United States seeks to counter China’s influence across the Indo-Pacific.
