ABSTRACT
This chapter explains that China will remain a complicating factor in India-US relations, in view of the countries sharp differences over strategic goals, whether in South and Central Asia, in Afghanistan, or in the Middle East. It outlines that the future of the strategic dynamic in Asia will largely depend on the extent of strategic restraint exercised by both Beijing and Washington. The US pivot to Asia is not simply aimed at containing China but has been driven by a much broader set of strategic, economic, and political considerations. In realistic terms, even if China replaces American supremacy in Asia, its approach to the region will be driven by its desire for territorial expansion and the settlement of disputes with neighbours through coercion and intimidation. The China factor will remain deeply embedded in the Indian psyche while India extends support to the Obama administration's rebalance policy in Asia.
