IntelBrief: India Faces Challenges on the Domestic and International Front in 2021

Bottom Line Up Front

• India is facing domestic challenges related to COVID-19 while also increasingly concerned about growing Chinese regional aggression. 
• Calls for the U.S. to forge a strategic alliance with India are premised on views of New Delhi as bulwark against China and a natural democratic ally in the region.
• With private consumption falling and investments down dramatically, it could take India years to recover from the adverse impact of the pandemic.
• With India’s seat at the UN Security Council for the next two years, New Delhi will have an opportunity to further develop its relationship with China.