News
US must understand, a rising India is not a threat to Washington. It is an asset
The belief that the US can pressure India into unconditional alignment is short-sighted and self-defeating
Former cabinet minister, High Commissioner to India, and founder of the Pathfinder Foundation Milinda Moragoda has questioned the US actions vis a vis India, in an article carried in The Indian Express, in its August 19th edition.
With US–India relations entering a more fragile phase, Washington’s pressure-first approach risks alienating a partner whose rise could be one of America’s greatest strategic assets in the 21st century. George Washington, in his farewell address of 1796, urged Americans to “observe good faith and justice toward all nations” and to “cultivate peace and harmony with all.” More than two centuries later, those words resonate in a very different but equally critical context.
For years, the US-India relationship has been described as a “defining partnership of the 21st century” — a rare convergence of two large democracies, diverse in their societies but united in their commitment to pluralism, innovation, and open markets. Yet in recent years, there has been a troubling shift in tone. Trust, once the hallmark of this partnership, is being replaced by suspicion.
At the heart of this erosion is a dangerous miscalculation by some in Washington: The belief that the US can pressure or “manage” India into unconditional alignment. This approach is short-sighted and self-defeating. It risks undermining one of America’s most natural, complementary partnerships at a time when the global order is becoming more multipolar and less predictable.
India is not just any large emerging economy. It is the world’s most populous democracy, a USD 4 trillion economy in the making, a leader in space exploration and digital public infrastructure, and a trusted voice in the Global South. Few countries offer such a unique blend of economic potential, democratic resilience, and geopolitical reach. From defence cooperation and technology partnerships to counterterrorism and climate action, the areas of overlap between India and the US are vast and expanding.
Despite this, US foreign policy has now taken a transactional turn. The escalation of trade disputes, the threat of secondary sanctions over energy purchases, and restrictive technology-transfer regimes all signal a willingness to apply pressure rather than build consensus. While disagreements between partners are natural, the manner in which they are pursued matters. Coercive tactics not only erode goodwill — they invite pushback.
India’s commitment to strategic autonomy is not a bargaining chip; it is a national consensus rooted in history. This is not about rejecting partnerships — it is about ensuring that they are built on equality and mutual respect. Attempts to “bully” India into alignment are destined to fail. Equally troubling is the view — still held in some quarters — that India’s rise must be tempered because it could one day compete with US interests. That mindset belongs to an era of zero-sum geopolitics and ignores the strategic reality of the 21st century.
A rising India is not a threat to the US. It is an asset. In the Indo-Pacific, where both countries share concerns about maritime security, supply-chain resilience, and the rules-based order, India’s role is indispensable. In global governance, India’s voice strengthens calls for reform of multilateral institutions — an agenda the US itself claims to support. In technology and innovation, Indian and American companies are increasingly intertwined, from Silicon Valley to Bengaluru.
If the US continues down its current, pressure-driven path, it risks alienating a partner with the best possible long-term strategic synergy. In a multipolar world, where trust is the most valuable currency, such alienation will have lasting consequences. India has options deepening engagement with Europe, expanding ties with ASEAN strengthening South–South cooperation and will use them if it feels constrained or disrespected.
This is not to say the relationship is beyond repair. Far from it. But Washington must change course before it is too late: Recognising India as an indispensable ally, one with shared democratic values, overlapping strategic objectives, and the capacity to work alongside the US in shaping a stable global order. It means replacing the mindset of managing India with one of empowering the partnership. For America, the choice is stark: Continue with mistrust and coercion, and risk losing one of its most consequential allies in Asia; or embrace India’s rise and, in doing so, strengthen its own strategic position.
George Washington also warned that “the nation which indulges toward another an habitual hatred or an habitual fondness is in some degree a slave.” In today’s world, that means rejecting fear and domination as the foundation of foreign policy and replacing them with balance, respect, and mutual purpose.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the President’s Fund has been transformed into a people-centred fund and that ensuring equal access to education for all children is a key policy of the Government.
The Prime Minister made these remarks on 11th of July at Temple Trees while participating in the “Sarasavi Diriya Abhiman 2026” programme, organised to recognise students with special needs pursuing university education.
The President’s Fund has decided to provide financial assistance of Rs. 100,000 each to 370 students admitted under the special needs category through the University Grants Commission, and under the first phase of the programme, cheques were presented to 236 students.
Addressing at the event, Prime Minister stated:
“It is the Government’s policy to ensure equal access to education for all children, including those with special needs, such as neurodivergent and those with autism or dyslexia, without leaving any child behind in the education system. Vice-Chancellors and other education authorities bear a responsibility to ensure that the necessary practical accessibility facilities are available to these students within universities. In addition, the Government is taking steps to digitalise the education system through assistive technologies and to develop public transport and physical infrastructure in a manner that is accessible and inclusive for persons with special needs.These students are not a burden to the country; they are valuable human resources capable of contributing to sustainable development. The ultimate objective is to build a civilised society that recognises and respects the value of every individual.
The occasion was attended by the Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Upali Pannilage, Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva, and several others.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Thambuttegama Water Supply Project, which will benefit 91,810 people in the Thambuttegama, Thalawa and Galnewa Divisional Secretariat divisions, was officially commissioned by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday (10) afternoon .
The project, which was launched under a concessional loan from the China Development Bank (CDB), was suspended between May 2022 and May 2024 due to the country’s debt restructuring process. However, recognising its national importance, the current Government allocated additional funding from the Government of Sri Lanka to successfully complete the project.
Constructed as a long-term solution to the chronic kidney disease that has spread rapidly across the region, the water supply project is also expected to improve the social and economic well-being of local communities.
The project aims to provide 25,000 new household with water connections.
Built at a cost of Rs. 32 billion, the project comprises a water treatment plant with a daily capacity of 18,000 cubic metres, three water towers with a capacity of 1,500 cubic metres each, a 12.75-kilometre water transmission pipeline and a 158-kilometre water distribution network.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Susil Ranasinghe said:
“The Thambuttegama Water Supply Project, which was declared open today by the President, has the capacity to provide safe drinking water to 25,000 families. The project has been completed at a cost of Rs. 32 billion. It was implemented with the assistance of the China Development Bank, but construction came to a standstill due to the economic crisis experienced in recent years. Over the past two years, we allocated funds through the national budget and have now successfully completed the project.
At the initial stage of the project, concerns were raised over drawing water from the Rajanganaya Reservoir. Farmers protested against the proposal. However, today this project is being commissioned with the blessing and support of the Rajanganaya farmer leaders, who are present here. They presented their concerns to us and we are committed to addressing them.
Their foremost concern was to ensure that no farmer in Rajanganaya would face a shortage of irrigation water as a result of water being diverted for this project. I can assure you without hesitation that there is absolutely no reason for concern. Not even a single drop of water required for agriculture will be denied in order to supply drinking water. This project is, after all, intended to provide clean drinking water to farming families themselves.
They also requested that compensation be paid if cultivation is affected due to any water-related issue. I assure you that there is no cause for concern on that front either. This Government has consistently compensated farmers affected by disasters. We paid Rs. 1.2 billion in compensation for losses suffered by farmers over the past seven cultivation seasons due to the Nilwala saltwater barrier. We also resolved long-standing issues relating to land acquisition under the Yan Oya Project and allocated Rs. 180 million to the District Secretary to compensate the affected landowners. In addition, Rs. 12 billion has been paid in compensation to around 200,000 farmers whose farmlands were damaged by Cyclone Ditwah. Therefore, if farmers suffer any losses or damage to their lands in the future, this Government stands ready to provide compensation.
Another request made by the farming community was the construction of the Ginipetti Bridge if water is to be drawn for this project. We have already allocated Rs. 240 million to build a new bridge capable of accommodating vehicular traffic and foundation work will commence shortly. At the same time, a team of experts has been appointed to determine whether the existing Ginipetti Bridge can be rehabilitated or whether an entirely new bridge is required. Therefore, I assure the farming community once again that we will not allow them to suffer any hardship or loss as a result of this project.”
Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, Governor of the North Central Province Wasantha Jinadasa, public representatives of the province, Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong, officials of the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, together with a large number of local residents, were also present at the event.
[PMD]
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed S. A. Nimal Saranatissa as the new Chairman of the Public Service Commission.
The other members appointed to the Commission are B. Sanath Poojitha, E. R. Weerakoon, R. Ketheeswaran, J. M. R. Jayasundara, E. A. P. N. Edirisinghe, Dr S. A. A. N. Jayasekara and M. H. Mohammed Sameel.
The letters of appointment were presented to the newly appointed Chairman and members by Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat Thursday (09) afternoon .
The appointments have been made to fill the vacancies that arose following the expiry of the previous term of office of the Public Service Commission
[PMD]
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