US-India defence cooperation is described as 'really strong and growing', yet executive-level relations between the two governments are at 'a bit of a low point', according to an expert assessment presented at the US Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on 1 October 2026. The evaluation came during a broader discussion on how Washington can sustain alliances as strategic competition intensifies across the Indo-Pacific.

Expert Assessment: Defence Strong, Diplomacy Strained

Dr Philip Hultquist, director of the Global and National Security Policy Institute at the University of New Mexico, placed India at the centre of South Asia's strategic landscape during a panel organised by the college's Cultural and Area Studies Office. 'The defence-to-defence ties are really strong and growing, but the executive-to-executive ties are at a bit of a low point,' he said, according to details of the meeting released by the US Army.

Hultquist noted the structural constraint this creates: 'The military instrument for competition is really important, and it's really the only one that's working well. But you can't replace all of the instruments of national power.' The remark underscores a widening gap between robust bilateral military engagement and comparatively subdued political dialogue.

Washington's Hub-and-Spoke Strategy for South Asia

According to Hultquist, the United States has adopted a hub-and-spoke model for South Asia, with India at its centre, aimed at cultivating a long-term, values-based partnership. 'The US has dealt with this by deciding to trade access to the smaller states in the region for a chance at an India partnership,' he said. The strategy positions New Delhi as Washington's 'strategic counterweight' to China in the Indo-Pacific.

This comes amid China's deepening economic footprint in smaller South Asian nations through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which analysts say complicates US efforts to build regional partnerships. Despite this, the panel noted that US-India ties have 'begun to thaw' over recent decades, evidenced by a steady increase in joint military exercises and growing collaboration between the two countries' defence industrial bases.

BRICS as a Counterweight to US Financial Dominance

Dr Mahir Ibrahimov, director of the Cultural and Area Studies Office, highlighted the growing economic clout of the BRICS grouping following its expansion. 'BRICS represents a collective GDP of more than $31 trillion, accounting for approximately 27 per cent of global GDP, according to recent estimates. This substantial share makes BRICS one of the most influential economic groups in the world,' he said.

Ibrahimov cautioned, however, that the bloc's internal coherence remains uncertain: 'Although some experts note that this organisation might not be unified and efficient in achieving its stated results, however, it's very important to note that BRICS is increasingly attempting to position itself as a counterweight to US-led financial dominance, and the petrodollar sits at the centre of that shift.' Notably, India is a member of both the Quad — alongside the US, Japan, and Australia — and BRICS, embodying its doctrine of strategic autonomy.

Southeast Asia: Sovereign Choice Over Forced Alignment

Lt. Col. Jason LeVay, an instructor at the Command and General Staff College, said Southeast Asian governments place a premium on preserving their freedom of choice. 'The important point from a Southeast Asian perspective is that either relationship becomes problematic when it begins to reduce sovereign choice,' he said. 'The United States does not necessarily need Southeast Asian states to choose America. It needs to remain a partner they repeatedly choose,' he added.

The panel also examined the roles of Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as Washington and Beijing compete for influence across the region.

India's Balancing Act: Quad, BRICS and Strategic Autonomy

India and the US have significantly expanded defence cooperation over the past two decades through more frequent military exercises, defence technology initiatives, and interoperability agreements. Yet New Delhi has simultaneously maintained its emphasis on strategic autonomy, engaging multiple major powers rather than anchoring exclusively to a US-led alliance structure. How Washington navigates this nuance — deepening military ties while reviving political engagement — will likely define the trajectory of one of the Indo-Pacific's most consequential bilateral relationships.