US Checks on Presidential Power: India Must Leverage Congress, Pentagon

• US foreign policy is shaped by institutional checks from Congress and the Pentagon, not solely presidential intent, as seen in recent documents.
• Congress uses laws, funding, and oversight (e.g., FY2026 NDAA blocking troop cuts) to counter presidential retrenchment and ensure strategic continuity.
• The Pentagon's China Military Power Report challenges the 2025 NSS by detailing China's military expansion and its pressure on the LAC, influencing US operational planning.
• India should leverage this "dual-track resistance" by engaging Congress directly through parliamentary diplomacy and mobilizing the diaspora.
• India must also use military channels, focusing on US theatre commanders like INDOPACOM, to convey shared threat perceptions and strengthen alliance logic.

Why It Matters: India should engage US Congress and Pentagon directly for sustained security, not just presidential assurances.