Raisina takeaway: America wants India to counter China, but never as a global peer

At the Raisina Dialogue, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau delivered an unusually candid message about Washington’s strategic thinking. His remark that the United States would not repeat the “mistakes” it made with China reflects a deeper realist calculation: while America values India as a strategic partner to counterbalance Beijing, it is wary of enabling another economic and technological rival. Historical precedents—from China’s rise within the Western-led system to America’s pressure on Japan in the 1980s—illustrate how great powers manage emerging challengers. For India, the real lesson is clear: global power status will ultimately depend less on external partnerships and more on domestic reforms, economic strength and strategic autonomy.