Introduction
2025 and 2026 have proven to be eventful years for the US-India partnership—for good and for ill. Since mid-2025 Pacific Forum has, with the support of the Hindu American Foundation, stepped up our efforts to recruit and publish commentary from leading experts on, in, and around India to include their insights on regional security. Some of the best examples of that work, encompassing PacNets from 2025 and, following the name change, Pilot contributions in 2026, are included here.
The challenges the bilateral has faced are reflected here: Indian experts display frustration with US intervention in last year’s Operation Sindoor last May, with tariffs, and with the impact of the Iran War on global trade. Experts on the broader South Asian region look at developments—such as revolutions and changes of leadership in Bangladesh and Nepal—and wonder if the US is prepared to compete for these new governments’ affections. As always, the People’s Republic of China looms, prepared to woo regional governments should the US and India fail to.
Despite these challenges, there remains a sentiment that India’s and the US’ fates are intertwined: For all their differences, Washington and New Delhi are democracies, and the PRC’s expanding influence concerns both of them. Contributions such as those published by Pacific Forum last year should provide a telling overview of how India and its neighbors see the region, and hopefully provide Washington with the data points it needs to foster this partnership for the long term.
Rob York
Director for Regional Affairs
Pacific Forum
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Table of Contents
PACNET 39, 05/19/2025 – THE WASHINGTON FACTOR IN INDIA-PAKISTAN TENSIONS: A KAUTILYAN PERSPECTIVE. BY KAJARI KAMAL
PACNET 40, 05/27/2025 – NEW STRATEGIC HORIZONS FOR THE GROWING PHILIPPINES-INDIA MULTI-FACETED PARTNERSHIP. BY SHRISTI PUKHREM AND DON MCLAIN GILL
PACNET 50, 06/18/2025 – FORGING US-INDIA PARTNERSHIP FOR “RE-ESTABLISHING DETERRENCE” IN THE INDO-PACIFIC. BY MONISH TOURANGBAM & ROB YORK
PACNET 77-1, 10/02/2025 – NAUTICAL GAMES: THE GREAT NICOBAR ISLAND PROJECT (PART I). BY MOHAN MALIK
PACNET 78-1, 10/06/2025 – NAUTICAL GAMES: THE GREAT NICOBAR ISLAND PROJECT (PART II). BY MOHAN MALIK
PACNET 83, 10/14/2025 – SECURING DIGITAL LIFELINES: RESILIENCE FOR INDIA AND OTHERS IN THE AGE OF CABLE SABOTAGE. BY BRENDON J. CANNON
THE PILOT #10, 02/25/2026 – A REVITALIZED INDIA OCEAN STRATEGY CANNOT IGNORE AFRICA. BY MICHAEL RUBIN
THE PILOT #11, 03/03/2026 – THE IMPACT OF THE INDIA-ISRAEL PARTNERSHIP ON US STRATEGIC INTERESTS. BY JASON M. OLSON, PH.D.
THE PILOT #25, 04/16/2026 – THE VIEW FROM INDIA: THE IRAN WAR FORGES A NEW INDO-PACIFIC. BY SIDDHARTH SINGH
THE PILOT #36, 06/03/2026 – FROM DELHI’S WATCHTOWER: THE TRUMP-XI SUMMIT AND INDIA’S ENDURING VIGILANCE. BY SRIPARNA PATHAK
THE PILOT #48, 07/22/2026 – INDIA MUST REMAIN STRATEGICALLY AUTONOMOUS IN THE PAX SILICA FRAMEWORK. BY RAMI NIRANJAN DESAI
THE PILOT #49, 07/30/2026 – CHINA FALLS SHORT AS A GLOBAL SOUTH “PUBLIC GOODS” PROVIDER. BY OORJA TAPAN
THE PILOT #52, 08/13/2026 – THE RECALCITRANT ALLY: WHAT INDIA THINKS ABOUT AMERICA AFTER THE WAR IN IRAN. BY HINDOL SENGUPTA
THE PILOT #57, 08/21/2026 – REWIRING THE INDIAN OCEAN: WHY THE WORLD’S DATA IS TAKING NEW PATHS. BY SAMUEL BASHFIELD, GRACE CORCORAN, DR. V. SRIDHAR AND PROF. BALAJI PARTHASARATHY
THE PILOT #59, 08/27/2026 – MEASURING TRUST VERSUS INFLUENCE IN INDIA-SOUTHEAST ASIA RELATIONS. BY SATU LIMAYE
THE PILOT #60, 08/28/2026 – INDIA-CHINA COMPETITION IN THE INDIAN OCEAN: STABILITY IS NOT RESET. BY SANA HASHMI
THE PILOT #61, 08/31/2026 – THE SOUTH ASIAN BALANCE OF POWER AFTER STUDENT REVOLUTIONS. BY AMBASSADOR (RET.) JAMES MORIARTY
Media: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace