A recent article by noted Indian-American author Ashley Tellis in Foreign Affairs, titled “India’s Great-Power Delusions,” argues that India’s utility to the United States has diminished for three key reasons: First, India’s shift towards domestic illiberalism has eroded its soft power and its ability to be a great power espousing liberal values; second, India undermines American unipolarity by advocating for multipolarity; and third, Delhi has been reluctant in supporting Washington in countering China’s rise.

I agree that Washington’s new regional approach has suddenly complicated India’s regional and global strategies. However, attributing India’s sticky geopolitical situation today solely to its own choices or domestic political issues is a misdiagnosis of the larger systemic causes.

Let’s examine these arguments in two separate categories: the general American approach to India and the Trump administration’s approach. These two are largely distinct, as Trump’s foreign policy stands in direct contrast to the traditional American foreign policy prior to his second tenure.

Let’s first examine American policy towards India before Trump. Was the Biden administration’s approach towards India deeply influenced by a liberal decline in Indian politics? Of course, Americans occasionally commented on media curbs, the rise of right-wing politics, and growing anti-minority policies, among others. However, I have found little evidence suggesting that the U.S. was losing interest in India due to these issues, or that India’s moral standing internationally was being compromised to the extent that it........

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