Mukesh Aghi, head of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum, has stated that China will never treat India as an equal partner and is forcing New Delhi to spend more on defense than capital investment by amassing troops on the border. Aghi emphasized that India's economy, though growing rapidly, is still relatively small compared to the global GDP. He noted China's strategy of challenging India, which has led to a military standoff. Aghi also highlighted the US's view of India as a pivotal partner, with extensive joint exercises and shared concerns about China.