A seasoned former CIA officer, James C. Lawler, has called for a significant enhancement of ties between the United States and India, asserting that their shared interests make a stronger relationship not only logical but essential. Lawler, who led the CIA’s Counter-Proliferation Division, expressed his longtime puzzlement regarding the ‘never true friends’ status between the two democratic nations.
Lawler highlighted the synergistic potential in the India-US relationship, pointing to convergent economic goals and the substantial presence of talented individuals of Indian heritage in the US. He argued that America’s foreign policy has, at times, been ‘a big puzzle’ in its approach to India. His hope is for a more robust engagement, recognizing that ‘most of our interests are convergent.’
He emphasized that both countries being democracies with aspirations for capitalist growth should foster greater interdependence. Lawler suggested that instead of being ‘standoffish,’ the US and India could achieve much greater collective power through mutual cooperation. He also conveyed a personal desire to experience India firsthand.
These sentiments come at a time when India-US relations have navigated periods of tension, including trade tariffs and differing perspectives on international energy markets and geopolitical alliances. Lawler advised setting aside historical hesitations, referencing India’s past alignment with the Soviet Union as a factor that should no longer dictate current policy. He specifically advocated for increased technology sharing with India and saw opportunities for deeper partnership in light of recent geopolitical shifts. The shared strategic challenge posed by China, he noted, further underscores the need for a consolidated India-US front.