Will ‘transactional’ America assist India in a future border crisis with China?

When Chinese President Xi Jinping met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi last week on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, another country loomed large in the background, even in its absence: the United States.After the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintain peace at the disputed border and strengthen economic ties.Beijing’s readout, however, offered a pointed reminder of the US factor in India-China ties.The official Chinese statement claimed that Modi assured Xi that India adhered to an “independent foreign policy” and that its ties with China are “not influenced by any third party”, an apparent reference to Washington.However, they added that despite uncertainty about Washington’s strategy, it would likely stand by India in a potential border crisis with China as it did during the 2020 Galwan clashes, but New Delhi should be ready to defend the territory on its own.