Even as the US made “out-competing China and constraining Russia’’ its main goal in the National Security Strategy-2022, President Joe Biden has termed India as a key ally in the country’s Indo-Pacific Strategic initiative.

The 48 page report titled: National Security Strategy, 2022 was released by the US on Wednesday (Octobe 13, 2022) is in response to “tremendous challenges and the unprecedented opportunities” the world has today. There is no significant change in the foreign policy doctrines or any shift in the thinking of the Biden administration.

India, being the world’s largest democracy and a ‘Major Defence Partner’, will continue to be a key partner in realising Washington’s vision of a “free and open” Indo-Pacific, states the report.

According to the report, the US will deepen its cooperation with democracies and other like-minded states. And, from the Indo-Pacific Quad (which has countries including India, Australia, Japan and the US to the US-EU Trade and Technology Council, AUKUS – Australia, United Kingdom, United States and I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE, United States) – the US is creating a resilient, strong and mutually reinforcing relationships that prove democracies can deliver for their people and the world.

The US President said in the White House that the National Security Strategy has outlined how his administration will seize this decisive decade to advance America’s critical interests. And will also position the US to outmaneuver the geopolitical competitors, and deal with shared challenges.

The main goal of the strategy is to out-compete China and constraint Russia.

The report states that “The People’s Republic (PRC) of China harbours the intention and, increasingly, the capacity to reshape the international order in favour of one that tilts the global playing field to its benefit, even as the US remains committed to managing the competition between our countries responsibly.”

China has ambitions to create sphere of influence in Indo-Pacific

The strategy report has said that both China and Russia are becoming strategically aligned. This has posed a “challenge” for the world. “We will prioritise maintaining an enduring competitive edge over the PRC while constraining a still profoundly dangerous Russia.”

It has noted that the PRC is the only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order – increasingly the diplomatic, military economic and technological power to do it.

According to the report China has ambitions to “create an enhanced sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific and to become the world’s leading power.”