The national defence strategy released by the US government on Saturday laid out its China policy, under which the Trump administration will seek to deter Beijing in the Indo-Pacific “through strength, not confrontation”. The 24-document has no mention of India, long wooed by Washington to join its string of partnerships in the region to counter an assertive China.
The NDS 2026 acknowledged that China and its military have grown more powerful in the Indo-Pacific region, the world’s largest and most dynamic market area, with “significant implications” for Americans’ own security, freedom, and prosperity. The approach in this regard will be to ask formal allies to step up their own security commitments.
“In the Indo-Pacific, where our allies share our desire for a free and open regional order, allies and partners’ contributions will be vital to deterring and balancing China,” the NDS said. The US has a treaty alliance with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
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Balance Of Power
The policy states that President Donald Trump seeks a “stable peace, fair trade, and respectful relations” with China, and is willing to engage President Xi Jinping directly to achieve those goals. “But President Trump has also shown how important it is to negotiate from a position of strength.”
The US will open a wider range of military-to-military communications with China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) with a focus on supporting strategic stability with Beijing as well as deconfliction and de-escalation, more generally. “But we will also be clear-eyed and realistic about the speed, scale, and quality of China’s historic military buildup,” the NDS said.
Photo Credit: US Pacific Command
“Our goal in doing so is not to dominate China; nor is it to strangle or humiliate them. Rather, our goal is simple: To prevent anyone, including China, from being able to dominate us or our allies—in essence, to set the military conditions required to achieve the NSS (National Security Strategy) goal of a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific that allows all of us to enjoy a decent peace,” it said.
The NDS states that the US will erect a “strong denial defense” along the First Island Chain (FIC) that runs from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines. “We will also urge and enable key regional allies and partners to do more for our collective defense. In doing so, we will reinforce deterrence by denial so that all nations recognize that their interests are best served through peace and restraint,” it said.
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Strained Ties
The commentary in the national defence policy comes amid strained ties between India and the US. The Trump administration imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods in August, half of which is a penalty for buying Russian oil.Washington has publicly pressured India to snap commercial and defence ties with Moscow and commit to a more formal alliance. Besides, tightening of immigration rules like H-1B visas have hampered Indians’ access to the US.
Under the cloud of trade and geopolitical friction, India did not hold the Quad leader’s summit last year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met Trump and his Japanese and Australian counterparts on separate occasions.
The National Security Strategy released in December said the US “must improve commercial relations” with India to encourage New Delhi to contribute to Indo-Pacific security, including through continued quadrilateral cooperation with Australia and Japan. “We will also work to align the actions of our allies and partners with our joint interest in preventing domination by any single competitor nation,” the NSS said in a veiled reference to China.
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