America’s foreign policy strategists need to stop undermining India.
The barrage of anti-India narratives in Western media seems to have a common origin: the United States. This animosity largely stems from India’s refusal to halt its purchase of cheap Russian oil and its neutral stance on the Ukraine war. These grievances have led to a series of retaliatory moves aimed at pressuring India.
Take the Pannu and Nijjar affair, for instance. U.S. intelligence reportedly monitored communications between Indian officials in North America and their counterparts in India, attempting to build a case of government involvement. Yet, no evidence has emerged to substantiate these claims. Indian intelligence, fully aware of U.S. surveillance, would never leave a trail that could be exploited. Instead, it seems the U.S. sought to manufacture incidents to exert pressure, relying on routine wiretapped conversations to create a narrative.
The irony lies in how Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was used to amplify these accusations. Trudeau, a member of the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance, had his own political motives. Facing plummeting popularity, he sought to secure support from 300,000–400,000 pro-Khalistani voters in key constituencies. His invocation of “freedom of expression” to defend controversial figures like Nijjar stands in stark contrast to his harsh crackdown on the truckers’ protests during COVID-19. Hypocrisy seems to abound.
Even U.S. policymakers knew the Pannu and Nijjar cases wouldn’t hold up in any credible court without real evidence. This pushed them to pursue another strategy: destabilizing India’s allies.
In Bangladesh, the U.S. aimed to unseat the democratically elected government of Sheikh Hasina, whose only “offense” was refusing to grant the U.S. a tiny island for a military base near the strategic Malacca Straits. Frustrated by this denial, the U.S., with the involvement of Pakistan’s ISI and Qatari intermediaries, allegedly funneled funds to radical Islamic student leaders to incite chaos.
What followed was a breakdown of law and order, leading to violent clashes and significant casualties. The ensuing unrest prompted Bangladesh’s military to oust Sheikh Hasina, leaving her with no choice but to flee. Denied asylum by the U.K. and other nations, Hasina eventually sought refuge in India. This sequence of events underscores the depth of the conspiracy, with apparent British concurrence in the U.S.’s moves.
The new government in Bangladesh, led by an Islamic Nobel Laureate, presents a mixed outcome. While its Islamic leanings might benefit Pakistan, they are unlikely to serve U.S. interests. The coup also disrupted India-Bangladesh relations, straining what had been a flourishing partnership under Hasina’s leadership. Amid this turmoil, Hindu minorities in Bangladesh faced escalating violence, drawing a rare rebuke from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
Only recently the U.S. charged India’s Adani Group with effort to bribe Indian officials with U.S. raised money. This is US first attempt to hobble Indian economy with economic pressure tactics. The weaponized Attorney General’s office previously has lead chase to sidetrack Trump but failed. Even the current attempt to charge Adani is highly political and will fail too. It is all Biden’s doing. Don’t forget that bribes play a huge role in American capitalism and political culture.
As power transitions in Washington, these anti-India maneuvers may lose momentum. The incoming administration’s focus on ending the Ukraine war signals a potential pivot away from the current administration’s confrontational stance.
For now, it appears that the Biden administration’s pressure tactics against India are nearing their end. The next chapter in U.S.-India relations may bring a fresh start.