New Delhi: The United States is preparing to place India at the centre of its Indo-Pacific strategy as it seeks to counter China’s growing influence in the region. The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission is set to hold its first public hearing of 2026 in February, with a special focus on India’s relations with both Washington and Beijing, and their impact on the regional balance of power.
Scheduled for February 17, the hearing will examine geopolitical and military issues linked to India’s ties with China and the United States. These include ongoing border tensions between India and China, maritime access and security in the Indian Ocean, and India’s expanding role as a key Indo-Pacific power. The commission has indicated that the discussion will also consider how India’s strategic choices shape regional stability.
In addition to security concerns, the hearing will review the economic and technological dimensions of India-China relations. Areas such as trade and investment flows, as well as India’s push for self-reliance in critical and emerging sectors, will be assessed. These include artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, and pharmaceutical supply chains, all of which are increasingly important in global strategic competition.
Beyond the India-China dynamic, the commission will evaluate US policy efforts aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership with India. It will also assess how New Delhi’s evolving engagement with Beijing could affect American economic and security interests in the coming years.
The timing of the hearing is significant. India has been considering a calibrated and graded reopening of economic engagement with China, with any easing dependent on reciprocal steps by Beijing. Relations between the two countries, strained since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, have shown signs of improvement following a series of high-level diplomatic engagements. These efforts led to the resumption of dialogue, reopening of suspended air links, and limited easing of restrictions on Chinese investment and procurement participation in India.
The hearing also comes weeks ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned state visit to China in April 2026, underlining the complex diplomatic balancing act facing Washington. While US-China ties remain competitive, recent signals of improved economic engagement add another layer to the strategic context.
Established by Congress in 2000, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission monitors the national security implications of US-China economic relations. Over the past decade, Washington has increasingly viewed India as a critical partner in limiting China’s influence across the Indo-Pacific, given India’s strategic location, economic potential, and growing military capabilities.
