ISAS South Asia Discussion Papers

The election of Joe Biden as president of the United States (US) in November 2020 has generated much interest in the Indian subcontinent about the future of Washington’s engagement with the region, especially after the tumultuous tenure of Donald Trump at the White House. That Biden selected Senator Kamala Harris as his vice president, whose mother hailed from Tamil Nadu in India, also added a special dimension to the regional interest in the US elections.

The ‘Trump disruption’ ultimately foregrounded fundamental questions relating to the future of US’ engagement with the world, following a backlash from the foreign policy establishment and business elite and having generated some resonance amongst the working people. How these arguments play out in the Biden years will have considerable influence on Washington’s dealing with the subcontinent. This collection of papers offers valuable perspectives on the implications of the Biden administration on bilateral relations with the South Asian countries as well as on important issues like immigration and trade.