Reversing the Wedge: Trump’s Transactional Unilateralism and Its Impact on China-India Relations

During Trump’s second term, U.S. foreign policy has shifted from liberal internationalism toward unilateralism, transactional diplomacy, and ideological pragmatism. The “America First” agenda, centered on tariffs and transactional benchmarks, is destabilizing global politics and economics while disrupting liberal paradigms in American studies. This paper examines how this strategic shift—particularly transactional unilateralism—affects U.S. policy toward India and China. It argues that U.S. policy uncertainty and the America First logic have paradoxically created a window for tactical rapprochement between China and India, thereby shaping the trajectory of bilateral relations and the regional geopolitical landscape.