Post-Operation Sindoor: Reimagining India–US Relations for Growth, Respect, and Global Co-Leadership

From Strategic Alignment to Shared Global Leadership

Operation Sindoor marked a pivotal moment in India’s assertion of military and strategic maturity. In its wake, India has entered a new phase—more confident, less reactive, and determined to shape the global order on its own terms. But even in this phase of strategic autonomy, the United States remains a crucial partner. As both nations navigate the tectonic shifts in geopolitics—rising multipolarity, digital realignment, and economic de-risking—India–US relations must be restructured not on the basis of shared enemies, but shared futures. The challenge is to move from tactical convenience to transformational cooperation—one that reflects India’s aspirations and concerns in equal measure. It is time for India–US relations to move beyond symbolic gestures and transactional interests toward a resilient framework of shared democratic leadership, economic collaboration, and technological co-innovation.

Reimagining the Economic Growth Compact- Expanding Trade and Reducing Barriers

India and the U.S. share a strategic vision for increasing bilateral trade to over $500 billion by 2030. However, significant gaps persist. India still faces restrictions on access to U.S. agricultural and industrial markets, while the U.S. has long sought deeper access for its technology and agricultural products. A new Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) must be fast-tracked, covering areas like pharmaceuticals, electronics, digital goods, and agro-tech. To strengthen India’s position in global markets and drive export-led growth, targeted policy interventions are essential. These measures aim to reduce trade friction, promote transparency, and boost the competitiveness of Indian industries.

To enhance trade competitiveness and facilitate smoother global market integration, India must focus on removing outdated tariff and non-tariff barriers. A comprehensive review and elimination of obsolete restrictions will lower transaction costs and significantly improve the ease of doing business, particularly for MSMEs engaged in cross-border trade. In parallel, simplifying and harmonizing regulatory standards with international benchmarks will build trust among global partners and promote seamless trade relationships. Additionally, focused efforts are required to ensure market access for sectors where India holds a competitive advantage—such as textiles, information technology services, and generic pharmaceuticals. Trade agreements and diplomatic engagements should prioritize mutual recognition and work towards lowering entry barriers in these priority sectors.

Boosting Strategic Investment Flows

With over $22 billion invested by 155 Indian companies in the United States, and growing American FDI into India—highlighted by Micron’s $825 million semiconductor investment—there is strong momentum in bilateral economic ties. To fully realize the potential of this partnership, both nations must now scale up investments in strategic sectors. Key Policy Actions:

• Promote joint ventures in frontier technologies: Facilitate and incentivize collaborations in electric vehicles (EVs), semiconductors, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) to create technology synergies and shared innovation ecosystems.

• Establish a “Supply Chain Resilience Corridor”: Design and operationalize a corridor focused on relocating critical manufacturing capacities from China to India, especially in high-dependency sectors like electronics, pharmaceuticals, and critical minerals.

• Launch a Bilateral Industrial Sovereignty Fund: Create a joint investment vehicle to support Indian firms working in rare earths, clean technology, and biotechnology, ensuring long-term industrial resilience and reducing strategic dependencies.

Technology & Innovation: Bridging Sovereignty with Collaboration

India’s growth vision is inseparable from technological self-reliance—but it does not seek isolation. It seeks collaboration on equitable terms. The U.S., meanwhile, benefits from India’s vast engineering talent pool and digital public infrastructure. Technological collaboration is a cornerstone of future ties. India offers a rare blend of democratic stability, engineering talent, and digital innovation. The U.S., for its part, brings cutting-edge R&D, venture capital, and a globally influential tech ecosystem. Together, the two countries can redefine the norms of emerging technology governance. Joint AI, quantum, and biotech research hubs can be established in India’s rising innovation cities. Additionally, exporting India’s Digital Public Infrastructure—including UPI, Aadhaar, and ONDC—in partnership with U.S. firms across the Global South can serve as a democratic counter-model to authoritarian digital platforms.

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Economic Nationalism

India must remain vigilant against the use of economic coercion or sanctions that could disrupt industrial supply chains. Long-term frameworks are needed to insulate trade from political fluctuations. Key among these is the Reciprocal Defense Procurement agreement and strategic stockpile agreements on LNG, semiconductors, and critical minerals.

Diplomatic Engagement: The Parliamentary Delegation to Americas as Part of Operation Sindoor Diplomacy

In a historic first, India deployed seven all-party parliamentary delegations under Operation Sindoor to articulate its diplomatic and security vision. Led by senior MPs across party lines, these delegations represent a bipartisan foreign policy consensus on India’s sovereign right to counter cross-border terrorism. One such high-impact delegation is being led by Congress MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor, accompanied by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, and includes members from Shiv Sena, JMM, TDP, and LJP. Their itinerary covers the United States, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, and Colombia. This outreach reflects a strategic shift-where India’s internal political diversity is projected externally as a strength, reinforcing that the country speaks with one voice on matters of national security.

The primary mission of these delegations is to clarify India’s legitimate security concerns regarding Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. They aim to convey to international counterparts that Operation Sindoor was not an act of aggression but of defense—a measured response to a long-standing threat. At the same time, these delegations are tasked with strengthening India’s strategic relationships, particularly with the U.S., in counterterrorism, security dialogues, and democratic institution building.

Their engagements with U.S. lawmakers, diaspora leaders, think tanks, and media houses are expected to not only build narrative clarity but also strengthen long-term partnerships. It is also a reflection of how Indian foreign policy is becoming more sophisticated, layered, and bipartisan. For Washington, the presence of both Dr. Tharoor and Tejasvi Surya offers an opportunity to understand that India’s foreign policy is not subject to domestic political swings, but anchored in national consensus.

Global Governance: Co-Leading the Democratic Infrastructure of the World

This evolving relationship must also extend to multilateral institutions. India seeks U.S. support for its permanent seat at the UN Security Council,  as a recognition of its growing role as a responsible power. Furthermore, collaboration on reforming WTO mechanisms, restructuring Bretton Woods institutions, and expanding joint development financing for the Global South will showcase India and the U.S. as cooperative leaders of a fairer world order.

Strategic Respect, Economic Growth, and Democratic Unity

India–U.S. relations must move from aspirational alignment to transformational engagement. Operation Sindoor has provided a powerful reminder of India’s strategic confidence. Now is the time for the United States to respond—not by seeking strategic compliance, but by recognizing India as a co-equal partner in shaping the global order. From trade and technology to terrorism and climate, the road ahead is filled with shared opportunities. If navigated with clarity and mutual respect, the India–US partnership can indeed become the cornerstone of a peaceful, prosperous, and democratic 21st century.

In the post-Sindoor era, India does not seek to be a pawn in great-power rivalries. It seeks partnerships rooted in balance, sovereignty, and future-building. For the India–U.S. relationship to thrive, Washington must start seeing it as a co-author of a new global architecture. For India, deeper ties with the U.S. must be tied to clear outcomes: technology co-creation, economic resilience, defense autonomy, and multilateral reform. For the U.S., India is not just a market or a military ally—it is the moral and technological center of a new democratic arc spanning from Silicon Valley to Varanasi. As the world reorients post-Sindoor, India and the U.S. must choose a new path—not just toward each other, but toward shared global stewardship. It is not inevitable. It must be built—with clarity, care, and courage.

(The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the position of the organisation)