An American lawmaker stated, "AUKUS does not include India right now but I would love to see it expand". McCormick commented on the AUKUS pact, stating, "It (AUKUS) does not include India right now but I would love to see it expand because India could be an incredibly strong ally."

AUKUS is a security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, formed in 2021 to strengthen security and defence. AUKUS aims to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region that is secure and stable. The alliance focuses on enhanced cooperation, deeper information and technology sharing, and the integration of security and defence-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains.

During a discussion on trade relations between India and the United States, Representative McCormick noted that the trade deficit between the two countries isn't large, which he views as positive. He expressed a belief in free trade and suggested India could produce goods currently manufactured in China, especially given current geopolitical tensions.

McCormick also raised concerns about India reselling Russian oil to Europe, which he believes indirectly supports the war in Ukraine. He emphasised the importance of the U.S. and India aligning on global issues, particularly Russia's actions in Ukraine, and that India should "weigh in on the correct side of history" as it expands its economy.

India's economic potential is garnering attention from global leaders. According to Goldman Sachs Research, India's economy is expected to grow at an average of 6.5% between 2025 and 2030. However, their 6.3% forecast for 2025 is 40 basis points below the consensus of economists surveyed by Bloomberg, due to declining public capital expenditure growth.

Rich McCormick's perspective Reflecting on India's potential, Rich McCormick said, "... We have had really good economic ties historically and we can actually have greater economic ties in the future...A country that has limitless potential in production, industry, and innovation...India is here to stay...".

Michael Cheokas's perspective Michael Cheokas, Georgia State Representative, believes that President Trump's pro-business stance would benefit both the Indian and US economies.

Deloitte's analysis Deloitte expects India to grow between 6.5% and 6.8% in fiscal year 2024 to 2025 and between 6.7% and 7.3% in fiscal year 2025 to 2026.

Australian Treasury's projections The Australian Treasury projects that India will grow at an average of around 6% annually over the next two decades. The India Economic Strategy judges India is likely to grow at 6–8% annually to 2035.

Several factors are expected to drive India's economic growth, including favourable demographics, stable governance, strong agricultural performance, and a thriving services sector. Manufacturing exports, especially in high-value-added components, also highlight India's increasing role in global value chains.

Challenges remain, including a tempered global growth outlook, geopolitical uncertainties, and the need for improvements in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. To reach its full potential, India may need to accelerate its growth to 9% CAGR over the next 20 years.

AUKUS has two main components:

Pillar 1 Aims to help Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.

Pillar 2 Focuses on collaborative development of advanced capabilities in areas like undersea capabilities, quantum technologies, AI, advanced cyber, hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities, electronic warfare, innovation, and information sharing.

AUKUS is widely considered a response to China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. As such, the alliance is reportedly planning to expand and add more members. Countries including Japan, Canada, and New Zealand have expressed interest in joining the bloc.

ANI