ISAS Insights

United States Defence Secretary Leon Panetta’s visit to New Delhi and India’s diplomatic activism in June 2012 have given rise to some clear signs of a possible re-balancing of India-US equation in the military and political domains. The paper tracks these signs and draws attention to a fine diplomatic nuance. India and China are still engaged in defence and strategic dialogue while New Delhi and Washington are raising the possibility of military and strategic cooperation. Both India and the US are, nonetheless, seeking to hedge against China – without challenging it – in the present state of flux in global affairs.