This paper provides a brief description of the estranged relations, ideological differences, divergences in national interests, initial misunderstandings and ups & down in the relations between two democracies - India and the US - during the Cold War period. After the WWII, an ideological clash dubbed “Cold War” started between two competing powers: the US and the USSR. During the Cold War era, both states went at great lengths to expand their ideologies into the Asian region and its periphery. The US formed security blocs and provided substantial financial aid to Asian countries in an attempt to contain the expansion of communist ideology of its main rival (the USSR) in the Asian region. After India gained independence, the US pressured the Indian leadership into joining the US bloc against the communist Soviet Union. On the other side, the USSR built Warsaw Pact and tried to enroll the newly born states, such as India and Pakistan, in its bloc to counter the US course of action. However, India was not disposed to join any blocs, the US bloc above all, and entered the Non-Alignment Movement. The Indian leadership supported the catchphrase “Asia for Asians” and condemned the involvement of extra-regional powers, such as the US, in Asian regional matters.

Apart from the past ideological differences, distrust, divergence of the interests, US and India relationships has been transformed from the estrangement to partnership and at least into potent nexus with the awake of the twenty first century. Since the threshold of the century, Asia is the central part of the world politics where several regional and extra-regional actors are trying to secure their interests and want to maintain their hegemony. Apart from India, China and Japan, the US and Russia are the powerful players in the Asian political theatre. After the collapse of the USSR, India and China have emerged as strong regional powers and they are playing their imperative role in the Asian affairs. Fast growth of Chinese economics, arms modernization, advancement in the technology and its course of actions in Asian region and in the sea lane of transportation push the US leadership to reshape its security policies and choose new alliance by adoption of alliance making theory in the context of balance of power in the Asia to secure its position in the region and balance or counter rising threats. Besides this, due to Indian democratic values, rising power, strategical position near the Indian Ocean, nuclear potential and power to contain China, Delhi is perceived in Washington as a valuable ally. The ‘India VS China’ in the context of economic race, past rivalry, and border issues and ‘The US VS China’ indicate that the US takes India as a countervail power to balance China in Asian periphery and wants balance of power. According to Chinese political analysts, the aim behind the ongoing US-India juxtaposition is to counter the rising China. This article tries to answer the following questions: “What is the crucial factor behind the inauguration of current US-India Nexus and specially in East and Central Asia?”, “What is the general perception of China regarding US-India nexus?”, “And what is the course of actions of three powers in Central and East Asia to preserve their positions and interests in respective regions?”.

After the collapse of the USSR, the US changed its policies, shifted its priorities and started viewing China’s economic emergence as a great threat to US interests. Due to the rapid economic growth and military development, the People’s Republic of China has become a rival for the US in the global arena. Meanwhile, as the US is reshaping its policy in accordance with the modern geopolitical reality, it starts regarding India as a powerful ally for holding China back. The close rapport between India and the USA is being established on the account of economic liaisons and combined efforts against security threats. Currently, India and the US are redefining their affiliations and building a potent nexus to secure their common interests, particularly in keeping China at bay. The formation of amicable Indo-US relations has resulted in the collective agenda for achieving the two countries’ common objectives in Asia. According to A. Tellis, the two foremost strategic goals of the two countries in Asia are: firstly, to contain the growing influence of China in Asia and its adjacent territories and establish Indian hegemony in the region; secondly, to promote friendly relations with other major actors in the region in order to garner support for India. The two countries’ strategic plan towards China is to isolate the country from the rest of the region. The presence of the US naval forces in the Indian Ocean and recent military exercises in Malabar have increased the US-India ties and have helped to establish control over Chinese naval and trade routes and sea lines of communication. Senior US officials have openly declared their intentions of strategic containment of China. As was noted by one of India’s leading political analysts John Cheian, “Washington’s primary goal is developing alliance with India in order to contain China”. The given article presents an outlook on the Chinese perception of the US-India nexus.