No single country can sustain a stable balance of power in Asia: US official

Elbridge Colby, US Under Secretary of War for Policy, said the world’s largest economy “views India with deep respect—as a republic of continental scale, with a proud strategic tradition,” and as a country whose decisions will shape the future of the Indo-Pacific and the broader global order.

Speaking at the Ananta Centre during his two-day visit to India, he said both nations share a conviction that Asia’s future should be determined by sovereign countries charting their own course. He added that the US recognises a basic reality: “no single country can sustain a stable balance of power in Asia.”

Describing the region as “too large, too varied, and too important,” Colby said stability will depend on the collective contributions of capable states committed to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. He termed the region a central theatre of global politics, economics, and security that will shape Indian and American interests and long-term prosperity.
He said India’s importance stems not just from its size and economic potential, but also from its geography and strategic position, noting that it “sits astride the Indian Ocean, the connective tissue of the Indo-Pacific.” He added that India has “a long tradition of strategic autonomy” and a growing ability to shape events beyond its borders, and that as “the largest republic in the world, its success carries profound symbolic and political weight.”

Highlighting India’s military capabilities, Colby said the country has “formidable, self-reliant and capable forces” willing to shoulder significant security responsibilities. He added that the US sees India “not merely as a key partner, but as an essential one” in ensuring a long-term favourable balance of power in Asia, and approaches the relationship “with realism, clarity, and a fair dose of humility.”

Emphasising the practical basis of the partnership, he said, “Our approach is interests-based and realistic, shaped by geopolitics and incentives rather than idealism.” He noted that the US recognises India’s independent strategic culture and priorities, and that it is “not shy about advancing them.”

Citing US strategy documents, Colby said Washington seeks partnerships with “vigorous, self-assured states, not dependencies,” and aims to work with countries that advance their own interests while contributing to shared goals. He added that cooperation with India is designed to strengthen its capacity to help sustain a favourable regional balance of power.