Once bitten, twice shy? Why US doesn't want India to become rival like China

The US seems to have suddenly woken up to the 'mistakes' it made while dealing with China 20 years ago. It resulted in China being the economic powerhouse it is today. Now, Trump wants to avoid repeating those with India. But India never needed anyone for its rise.

Once bitten, twice shy — it appears to be the lesson the US has drawn from its China experience, and it is wary of repeating it with a rising economy like India. Trump's aide and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau made no bones about the fact that Washington would not grant India the sweeping economic benefits it once extended to China, which, in turn, allowed Beijing to emerge as its key rival. The pointed remark clearly explains Trump's hard stance towards India on trade and tariffs and his unease with Delhi's rise.

Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, India's annual summit on geopolitics, Landau underscored that India was a key partner of the US, but with limitations. "India should understand that we are not going to make the same mistakes that we made with China 20 years ago in terms of saying, 'Oh, you know, we are going to let you be able to develop all these markets'. And then, the next thing we know is you are beating us in a lot of commercial things," Landau said.

The remark raises two questions. What are the "mistakes" the US made with China 20 years ago? What's the message to India? We will tackle the second question first.

The message sent to India is simple. The US will not repeat its errors by granting India unchecked market access that could make it a major economic rival like China. It is not that the US sees India as a rival like China. But, under a transactional Trump, reciprocity and US national interests will guide its India ties.

But India has shown it doesn't need the US for its economic rise. Not only is it the fastest-growing economy, but India is also now the fourth-largest economy. By 2030, it is poised to overtake Germany to become the third largest. Not quite the "dead economy" that Trump labelled India during his tirade last year.

Landau's remarks come amid US-India trade deal negotiations. The top Trump aide, however, was honest to acknowledge India's potential as a defining power in the 21st century.