The upcoming joint military exercise between the US-India known as War Practice, in a high-altitude area less than 100 kilometres from India's border with China, highlights the partnership's growing strategic importance. India holds more annual military drills with the US than any other country, as the two powers seek to improve their forces' interoperability.
But President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan and effectively surrender the country to a Pakistan-reared terrorist militia, in addition to tensions related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have strained the ties between the world's most powerful and most populous democracies.
Like many others, including US allies Israel and Turkey, India has taken a neutral stance on the Ukraine war. Much to the chagrin of the US and Europe, India has continued to purchase discounted oil from Russia.
