"India sliding on human rights - impact on US policy" Topic

With the US viewing India as a counterweight to China, developments in the country are seeing a slide towards authoritarianism

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I firmly believe that India poses as much a threat in the Indian Ocean as China does in the Western Pacific. The Indians too are increasingly nationalistic and have massive aspirations that sees them effectively neutralising western influence in the Ocean.

The west has so far been lucky that India's government is essentially incompetent and both it's naval and diplomatic development stymied by its own inefficiencies.

Note I am Australian, a country that is on the Indian Ocean and any Indian expansionism is a threat to Australia.

Source: National Interest

Is it Indian nationalism that is becoming an issue or a strident Hinduism that is a growing problem?

I think it's both strident Hinduism and Indian nationalism whereby they're viewed as the one and the same.

They recently had riots following anti-Muslim citizenship legislation.

The sad fact is that they are a weak democracy, falling behind China economically and not in the same military class as the Chinese. One would think that they'd be looking to strengthen their position via partnerships and alliances with other nations worried about China, rather than looking to off the few friends it might have that have the muscle to be supportive.

Perhaps it is that religious drive that is steering them wrong. Of course, that nationalism thing is insane everywhere, the US included.

Well India shares a border with the PRC. So they would be a logical "counterweight" to the PRC. And they both have about an almost endless supply of troops. Both being about 20% of the world's population, 40% overall.

But unlike China, India is more bark than bite. Rife with corruption and inefficiency, its armed forces is not as capable as China's well-oiled military machine. If the two countries' navies come to blows, smart money's on the PLAN to prevail.

Well oiled military machine? How did China get that reputation ? New equipment do not a military giant make.

Good point !

does the US change its foreign policy on the basis of human rights violations?

I don't think we will see that anytime soon … For a number of reasons.