The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 put the Indian foreign policy in a bind. The West sought the solidarity of all like-minded countries to oppose the Russian aggression in Ukraine. India, as usual, was unwilling to join either side. The European Union and the United States have been very unhappy with the Indian stand. After more than 75 years of independence, India continues to maintain its strategic independence, although the main thrust of the US policy towards India has always been to make India an American ally; first against Chinese communism and now as a counterweight to growing military might and economic strength of China. The present work seeks to examine the tumultuous relationship between the two countries at the height of Cold War rivalries.