This week on the Sinica Podcast, I welcome back Evan Feigenbaum, Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Evan served for many years as a State Department official, was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia and Central Asia among his numerous positions in government, and was instrumental in building the U.S.-India relationship after 2000 — only to watch Trump round on India in recent months, slapping large punitive tariffs on the South Asian giant ostensibly over its purchases of Russian oil. What motivated Trump? And how does this look from New Delhi and from Beijing? Will China capitalize on the strains in the U.S.-Indian relationship? Listen and find out.

04:12 – Building "trust" in politics

10:22 – Changes in U.S. policy

15:11 – Did India take advantage of Russia?

20:07 – How U.S. rules shape India

25:21 – "Rebuilding" the U.S.–India relationship

29:56 – Beijing on Trump vs. India

42:48 – India, Quad, and Indo-Pacific strategy

49:55 – Managing U.S.–India tensions

Paying it Forward: Kenji Kushida

Recommendations: 

Evan: How China Is Reshaping International Security Cooperation by Sheena Greitens and Isaac Kardon

Kaiser: How Sino-centrism and U.S.-centrism warp(ed?) Beijing’s foreign policy thinking by Tang Shiping and Qi Dapeng

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