Washington: The United States' newly released National Defence Strategy (NDS) 2026 has outlined the Trump administration's approach to countering China in the Indo-Pacific, but notably makes no mention of India, a country long courted by Washington as a key regional partner to balance Beijing's growing influence.
The 24-page document, released Saturday, details a strategy to deter China in the Indo-Pacific "through strength, not confrontation", while urging America's formal allies to shoulder greater security responsibilities. Despite India's increasing strategic relevance in the region, it does not feature anywhere in the policy document.
Also read: US says neutral, meets Jamaat-e-Islami ahead of Bangladesh elections: What it means for India
The NDS acknowledges China's expanding military power and influence in the Indo-Pacific, described as the world's largest and most dynamic market region, warning of "significant implications" for American security, freedom, and prosperity.
"In the Indo-Pacific, where our allies share our desire for a free and open regional order, allies and partners' contributions will be vital to deterring and balancing China," the NDS said. The US currently holds treaty alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
The 2026 strategy marks a sharp shift from past Pentagon doctrine, placing a greater burden on allies while adopting a softer tone toward traditional adversaries China and Russia.
"As US forces focus on homeland defence and the Indo-Pacific, our allies and partners elsewhere will take primary responsibility for their own defence with critical but more limited support from American forces," the strategy said.
By contrast, the previous NDS under former President Joe Biden had labelled China as Washington's most consequential challenge and described Russia as an "acute threat."
Also read: 'China will eat them up': Trump blasts Canada over missile defence system 'Golden Dome' rejection
The new document instead calls for "respectful relations" with Beijing, while omitting any reference to Taiwan, and characterises Russia as a "persistent but manageable" threat primarily affecting NATO's eastern flank.
On domestic priorities, the Trump administration's NDS strongly links border control to national security, criticising the previous administration's approach.
"Border security is national security," the document states, adding that the Pentagon "will therefore prioritise efforts to seal our borders, repel forms of invasion, and deport illegal aliens."
The strategy also drops climate change from its list of national security threats, reversing Biden-era policy that had classified global warming as an "emerging threat."
Also read: 'Chinese approach to settling hotspot issues': After US, China claims it mediated India-Pak conflict
In a major regional pivot, Latin America is elevated to the top of Washington's strategic agenda.
The Pentagon "will restore American military dominance in the Western Hemisphere. We will use it to protect our Homeland and our access to key terrain throughout the region," the NDS said, describing this approach as the "Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine."
Since returning to office, Trump has expanded US military activity in Latin America, including a high-profile raid capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats. However, the administration has provided no definitive evidence that the targeted vessels were involved in trafficking, prompting international law experts and rights groups to warn the strikes may amount to extrajudicial killings.