While shared anxieties over China have brought India and the United States closer, President Donald Trump’s second-term tariffs and tougher immigration rules have injected fresh strain into the relationship. The pressure on New Delhi to curb Russian oil imports comes as Moscow itself deepens ties with Beijing, complicating India’s long-standing defence and energy partnerships. So where does this leave India’s quest for strategic autonomy? Can it still balance cooperation with the U.S., reliance on Russia, and cautious engagement with China? Or is that space rapidly closing? Political scientist Dr Pradeep Taneja from the University of Melbourne puts the India–US relationship under the microscope. Presented by Sami Shah.

An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

Listing image: People in front of the official residence of the President in New Delhi. Credit: Saakshi Yadav/Pexels.