In 2005, the U.S. openly aimed to help India become a major world power. This set the stage for a close strategic partnership and a historic civil nuclear deal. However, the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS) shows a clear change. The new strategy is more defensive and self-focused. It states, “The days of the United States propping up the entire world order like Atlas are over.” India’s role in the strategy is no longer about its rise as a world power, but rather as a piece in America’s China strategy. The NSS says the U.S. wants to “continue to improve commercial (and other) relations with India” to encourage India’s role in Indo-Pacific security, especially within the Quad group. But India is now a means to an end, not an end in itself. This marks a broader U.S. retreat from global leadership. The strategy describes past diplomatic successes but often comes across as political posturing rather than real engagement. For India, this means the U.S. will expect more from its partners but offer less support in return. The NSS calls on partners to “assume primary responsibility for their regions,” signaling that U.S. help will be limited and based on its own interests. The old era of mutual confidence and partnership has given way to one where the U.S. focuses on its own challenges. India’s rise will now depend more on its own strength and strategic confidence than on U.S. support. The 2025 strategy, by scaling back American commitments, actually creates space for India to take a larger independent role on the world stage. Amitabh Mattoo, Dean at JNU and former National Security Advisory Board member, writes that while the assumptions of 2005 won’t return, India must pursue the same ambition with renewed self-reliance. The future of India-U.S. ties will depend on shared interests and measured cooperation in a more complex global order.