For over fifty years, India preferred to have a non-aligned foreign policy outlook. Nehru’s core foreign policy enabled India to stay away from the camp politics of the Cold War, mainly played by the USA and USSR. Upon that consideration, India claimed to be the leader of the Global South due to its non-aligned foreign policy, geographic size, gigantic population, market size, and non-Western cultural values. However, even during the Cold War, India was much more aligned with the USSR, and even with the USA when it faced a tough war with China (1962) at the peaks of the Himalayas.

Meanwhile, during the same period, Pakistan was closely aligned with the Western camp, joining military pacts such as SEATO (1954) and CENTO (1955), and achieving economic and infrastructure benefits, claiming an “Economic Model” for third-world countries.

However, with the turn of the new century, changing geopolitical scenarios, regional complexities, the economic rise of China (most importantly), and the resurgence of Russia forced the USA to change its priorities in South Asia. Pakistan, which was once a major non-NATO ally, became irrelevant to the USA in pursuing its containment of China.

To contain China both economically and militarily, and now even technologically, the USA chose India as a net security provider and strategic partner in South Asia. Key policymakers in Washington know that India has a border dispute with China, and India’s geographical location in the Indian Ocean and its economic and technological footprint make it a valuable partner for the USA in implementing the “Indo-Pacific Policy.”

Knowing the strategic weakness of the USA and its compulsion to contain China, India positioned itself as a hegemon in South Asia. Putting pressure, interfering in........

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