India, Sept. 20 -- Tariffs, energy purchases and US engagement with Pakistan are fuelling fresh concerns in sections of India's strategic establishment.

The India-US relationship has repeatedly appeared to move towards a new phase of strategic and economic cooperation, only to run into another point of friction. From the handling of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor to prolonged trade negotiations, tariffs, pressure over India's purchase of Russian oil, disagreements over digital payments and now growing US defence engagement with Pakistan, a series of developments has created a sense in sections of New Delhi's strategic establishment that the relationship is becoming increasingly transactional.

The latest trigger is the ...