US-China rivalry simmers in India as Trump visits

The Indo-Pacific strategy would place India at the center of the playbook."China — at least on the defense and security relationship — is the tie that binds us together," said Rossow.Although Washington has been trying to engage India for sometime regarding closer security ties, New Delhi has been slow to respond till recently, said Rossow, pointing out that China is "playing a more active role across South Asia and the India Ocean region." The Chinese navy has also been an active operator in the Indian Ocean region, and has sent submarines to the region, he added.And India is beginning to feel the heat as Beijing has not only built up strong relations with Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Maldives, but China's economy and military are also bigger than India, he said.The underlying reasons for the security partnership between the U.S. and India are beginning to appear more complementary now, said Rossow.Like many countries, India is finding itself caught between the world's two largest economies.One area the U.S.-China rivalry is playing out is in the area of technology, where both countries are vying to be the leader in 5G — the next generation mobile networks that promise super-fast data speeds.The competition could also create what has now been dubbed the "splinternet" — a future in which the internet is fragmented, governed by separate regulations and run by different services."The technology world, the internet itself is beginning to fault," said Jayant Sinha, standing committee on finance in parliament, chairman and former Indian minister for finance and aviation."India needs to decide which side it's on," Sinha told CNBC's Tanvir Gill.He acknowledged that the U.S. is putting "a lot of pressure" on other countries to "follow its path, not the China path," but there are other considerations as both Washington and Beijing have made vast technology investments in India.As India builds its own technology ecosystem, the South Asian nation also has to "navigate between these two poles that are rapidly starting to emerge," said Sinha.Got a confidential news tip?