India is #10 on the U.S trading partner list and was the tenth country called by President Biden, after Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany. Russia. Japan, Korea and Australia. Note that there is no call with China yet. Most countries are allies or neighbors and the only rival is Russia.
The White House readout says:
“The United States and India will work closely together to win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, renew their partnership on climate change, rebuild the global economy in a way that benefits the people of both countries, and stand together against the scourge of global terrorism. The leaders agreed to continuing close cooperation to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, including support for freedom of navigation, territorial integrity, and a stronger regional architecture through the Quad. The President underscored his desire to defend democratic institutions and norms around the world and noted that a shared commitment to democratic values is the bedrock for the U.S.-India relationship.”
While China is not mentioned specifically, the language of diplomacy is clearly directed at China when they talk about a free and open Indo-Pacific (the only country threatening this is China), the Quad (Australia, Japan, USA and India doing military exercises together), and defending democracy.
What this means
Biden is no friend of China and the United States will look more closely to India for strategic, political and business collaboration.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
