Bilateral frictions to overshadow Rubio meeting with Indo-Pacific partners

"The two leaders heralded a golden age in US-Japan relations, but there are no trophies to put on the mantle at this stage," he said. "The tariff negotiations are all-consuming, and the Japanese appear exasperated by the administration's public lectures on defense spending."

Richard Rossow, an India expert, also at CSIS, said Trump's approach to India on trade and security interests had been "clumsy," but the long-term strategic and commercial reasons for deeper cooperation remained largely unchanged.

"So, the chances of further cooperation remain viable, even if the mood is less conducive," Rossow said.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Don Durfee and Sandra Maler)