United States Representative Dr. Ami Bera, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia and ranking member of the Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, has emphasized that US-India relations will continue to grow stronger compared to America’s ties with other South Asian nations.

Speaking at the Hudson Institute’s Motwani Jadeja US-India Dialogue Series on March 27, 2025, Dr. Bera, an Indian American, pointed to ongoing challenges faced by countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka as factors influencing regional dynamics. The discussion was moderated by Research Fellow on India and South Asia at the Hudson Institute, Aparna Pande. 

“I think the progress on the US-India relationship, regardless of who is in the White House, has always been on the upward trajectory, certainly for the last two decades, if not longer,” said Dr. Bera. 

He acknowledged the “positive relationship,” between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump during Trump’s first term and its continued development into the second term. Referring to PM Modi’s White House visit on February 13^th, Dr. Bera described it as “very strategic”, noting that the Indian leader was proactive in addressing trade and tariff concerns, and challenges in the Indo-Pacific

Discussing the future of US-India relations, Dr. Bera reaffirmed the strength of the defense partnership between the two nations. However, he acknowledged challenges, such as CAATSA-related issues in the first Trump administration due to India’s reliance on legacy Russian defense systems.

He highlighted pharmaceutical and vaccine development as another promising area for US-India collaboration, in addition to their joint efforts in aiding and developing Africa.

“The Indian diaspora is much older, much deeper, and meshed in Africa. That’s a place where we should partner together. So, where it’s in India’s interests, it’s in our interests. I think there are many natural areas of alignment,” he stated.

In her opening remarks, Pande highlighted that over the past three US presidential administrations, the Indo-Pacific has emerged as a key strategic focus. She noted that the Japanese and Indian Prime Ministers were among the first foreign leaders to meet with President Trump at the White House, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s first major diplomatic engagement was the Quad summit, along with his Japanese, Indian, and Australian counterparts.

Dr. Bera underscored the significance of this relationship, pointing out that the Quad ministerial took place just two days after the Trump administration’s inauguration, signaling its priority status. Recalling his recent visit to Australia, he stated that Australian leadership also recognizes India’s growing role in the Indo-Pacific.

He further emphasized the importance of strong partnerships in the region, including those with Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. He noted that Secretary Rubio is aware of the geopolitical importance of the Pacific Islands as he served on the Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Committees alongside National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

“India’s moving toward the west. India’s moving towards the United States. I think that in the defense space, I think that will continue,” he added. “India will always try to stay non-aligned. But I think, at the end of the day, if you talk to the Indians, I think they recognize that their biggest threat and competitor is probably China.”

Dr. Bera underscored the Quad’s strategic significance, particularly from a geopolitical and maritime security perspective. He noted that Congress has shown bipartisan support for increased focus on the Indian Ocean region, recognizing its growing importance in global security.

He acknowledged that the US was “probably a little late,” in paying attention to the Pacific Islands, resulting in emerging security challenges in that maritime space. He also pointed out that Obama administration took the South China Sea issue “too lightly,” arguing that it had underestimated the situation.

As the US pivots toward the Indian Ocean, Dr. Bera emphasized ongoing discussions with India and the UK about maritime security and freedom of navigation.

“We can’t make the same mistake in the Indian Ocean region when we see some of our potential competitors or adversaries like China setting up ports in Pakistan, in the Emirates, in Africa,” he warned. “Again, that’s something we’ve talked about with Australians, and certainly have talked about with the Indians and our European allies as well.”

At the event, Dr. Bera also advocated for restoring USAID programs that were scaled back during the Trump administration, emphasizing their role in development and diplomacy.

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