US: India is supported by the Congress as a pillar of international stability

US: Even as geopolitical rivalry heats up, senior Republican and Democratic legislators emphasized that India has become essential to world peace and said that bipartisan leadership in the US Congress would continue to be the cornerstone of the partnership.

Representative Rich McCormick, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, said that the alliance with India is essential to the global order as well as to US interests during a fireside chat organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

“India is the most important friend we will need for the future of not just the United States and India, but for the stability of the entire world,” McCormick said.

The geopolitical stakes are quite high, he said, especially in light of China’s expanding influence in the Indo-Pacific. “If you take into account the regional security of the Chinese influence in that area, the fact that 70% of trade passes through those straits with Taiwan, and the similarities in our perspectives on economics, freedom, and the progress of a people,” he said.

The meeting of the greatest and oldest democracies in the world might be revolutionary, according to McCormick. “We could literally usher in a new generation of peace that could last 100 years if you unite, which will be two of the three biggest economies in the world in short order,” he said.

He did, however, warn that failure would have dire repercussions. On the other hand, it might be disastrous if we execute it incorrectly. Everything would become unbalanced if they begin to align themselves with China and Russia, he said.

The longest-serving Indian American member of Congress, Representative Ami Bera, emphasized that the United States and India had maintained their relationship through both political regimes. “India has been crucial to our entire Indo-Pacific strategy from the Clinton administration through the Bush administration, Obama, Trump 1.0, and Biden,” Bera said.

He emphasized that Washington’s assistance for India is nonpartisan. Neither Democrats nor Republicans have been involved in this. The caucus is among the biggest on the hill. And we must do this correctly,” he said.

Beijing is the main strategic rival influencing American thought, according to Bera. “We are quite aware of who our Beijing-based enemy is. That will be the world’s most competitive market,” he said, adding that new international institutions will be based on “such as values, democracy, free markets, and entrepreneurship.”

Regardless of changes in White House diplomacy, both congressmen said that Congress had a stabilizing role to play. Bera pointed out that a bipartisan resolution reiterating the significance of relations with India was recently voted by MPs. “To show that Congress still views this relationship as being important as a separate branch of government,” he added.

Despite disagreements, McCormick said that Congress is aware of India’s internal issues. “Prime Minister Modi has a strong sense of patriotism. He said, “He wants to introduce technologies, growth, and productivity to his nation.”

He continued by saying that while there are differences, such as those regarding the supply of energy and defense, in the end, common ideals win out. Ultimately, I believe he recognizes our importance since we share similar values, McCormick said.

The conversation emphasized Congress’s belief that the future of US-India relations would be shaped by long-term institutional relationships rather than transient political swings.