Despite doubts about America at home, India must play a greater leadership role to safeguard the relationship over the next three years.

July 22, 2008, marked a milestone moment in India’s history and its journey toward a seat at the global high table. Amid heated political opposition to the India-U.S. civil nuclear deal, then-Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh courageously put his government on the line to advance the deal, an initiative he viewed as vital to India’s future.

By a narrow margin, Singh’s government survived a parliamentary no-confidence vote. “This will send a message to the world at large that India’s head and heart is sound, that India is prepared to take its rightful place in the comity of nations,” declared a relieved Singh, who deftly defied domestic skeptics to advance an initiative he knew would advance India’s strategic interests.

Today, India faces renewed skepticism at home about the United States’ reliability as a strategic partner. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April, and the ensuing India-Pakistan military clashes, a series of missteps, miscommunications, and bruised egos culminated in the Trump administration imposing a 50 percent tariff against India: a 25 percent reciprocal tariff plus a 25 percent additional penalty for its purchases of Russian oil. The tariff tiff, and related public barbs, resulted in a profound crisis of confidence in India-U.S. ties.

There is now, thanks to the appointment of Sergio Gor as the new U.S. ambassador to India, a nascent opening toward a repair and reset in the relationship. This is welcome news, but the two sides are not out of the woods yet.

In the face of mercurial U.S. policies, sustaining this opening and rebuilding resiliency will require patience, careful diplomacy, and a fair amount of luck. New Delhi should no longer expect Washington to play the role of demandeur in the relationship. It will need to shoulder greater responsibility in steering the relationship, and much like Singh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will need to stand up to domestic critics to reiterate the case that a long-term partnership with the United States remains in India’s core interests.