India’s Strategic Challenges and Opportunities Amid US Ceasefire Mediation:

Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Picture a situation in a cricket match where a team is on their way to victory when the umpire abruptly declares the match a draw. That is the feeling many Indians experienced after the announcement of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan was made. The announcement came from US President Donald Trump and claimed that both parties had consented to it owing to US trade coercion.

Now, The Trump tweet if both involved parties agreed to cease fire they could sign a trade deal. Additionally, offered to negotiate the Kashmir dispute stating it to be a contest spanning a millenia. After US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that future negotiations would be held at a neutral site, the statement ceased to be mentioned again.

Trump reiterated his statements during a speech in Saudi Arabia and an interview with Fox News saying that the two countries coming close to deciding peace as a result of trade pressure was a good thing. These remarks have worried India as the country is fiercely defensive about being perceived as on equal standing with Pakistan on international platforms.

Concerns Over Re-Hyphenation and Trade Pressure

Pahalgam terror attack was a global concern and India did receive support across the globe, however the major countries did not, in any way, point fingers at Pakistan. This is where many in India got frustrated. Trump’s scolding of Apple for there being an expansion in India also turned heads. Nevertheless, it looked as if the markets were not paying attention to that rather focusing on his statement that India does have plans of zero tariffs, which made the SEnsex soar when the markets opened, only to fade a little the following day.

India’s Strategic Path in the China Plus One Strategy

New delhi needs to remain on task and not overreact to every critical statement coming from the US. Rather, focus on becoming the most preferred destination for companies looking to relocate from China. A Bank of America’s survey suggests that 42 percent of fund managers find India the most attractive compared to 6 percent who favor China.

There is a surge of optimism towards India which is directly proportional to it being regarded as a center for manufacturing. India still has a long way to go even though there is a possibility of tariffs on goods from China being reduced to strengthen its position as the long-standing contender. With the growth in Apple’s decision to expand manufacturing in India, some of those major companies seem to be shifting.

Access to AI Technology and Its Strategic Significance

There are multiple domains where India could make improvements, including securing access to the most advanced AI technology. The previous US administration restricted access to chips to only 18 countries. The recent Trump administration has lifted those controls and is working on a new framework. India needs to make certain that it continues to be on the trusted allies list.

Trump has also signed deals during his visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE, which allows these AI-deficient countries access to top tier AI resources. These energy-rich countries are bound to become the world's primary data center regions. India should leverage its market size and flourishing startup ecosystem to claim those resources as well.

Advantage of India on macroeconomic level

In-spite of the worries of being bracketed with Pakistan, talking about India’s economic growth presents a more positive picture. India’s growth is pegged at 6 percent, which makes India internationally projected to overtake Japan as the 4th largest economy. Even estimated by IMF, India remains surge as the 2nd fastest growing economy in the world, targeting a 6.2% GDP increase in 2025.

On the other hand, Pakistan is expected to lag behind at 2.6%. Despite being lower in per capita income, both countries are emerging economies with very low income levels, but India is still advancing at a much faster pace.

But still, India does not intend to use Pakistan as a yardstick. As indicated earlier, India wishes to become an economic superpower, particularly exceling in manufacturing and technology. That entails maintaining poise in the face of belligerent rhetoric, and concentrating on scalable strategies.