The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has decided to remain publicly quiet on democratic backsliding in India, according to senior U.S. officials, as the U.S. intensifies efforts to keep New Delhi on its side amid rivalry with China.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pressure on religious minorities and the media is troubling, as is his party’s targeting of opposition lawmakers, said the officials, who asked not to be identified discussing internal deliberations. But the decision to largely refrain from criticizing Modi comes as growing concerns about China make India increasingly crucial to U.S. geopolitical and economic goals in the Indo-Pacific.
The decision on handling India is an example of how Biden’s emphasis on human rights — and his framing of a global conflict between democracies and autocracies — has run up against the strategic realities of a world where rivals such as China and Russia are vying for greater control.