The previous twenty years have seen a significant change in the world. Developing nations have made military and economic strides and are now pursuing their national interests with greater vigour. China and India, the two largest of these nations, have been at odds for many years due to border disputes. In addition, China’s efforts to encircle India and its closer ties to Pakistan have put the two nations on a collision course, which the United States, which sees China as a rival great power, would be well-positioned to take advantage of. This is a challenging task, though, due to the nuclear standoff between Pakistan and India. According to Vipin Narangs writings, even in the face of terrorist acts like the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Pakistan has taken an asymmetrical nuclear escalation posture that successfully dissuades India from exerting pressure on it. In my research, I aim to highlight the special Goldilocks problem that India faces in balancing China and Pakistan and explore how closer Indo-American cooperation is the most effective strategy to prevent regional instability and a potential nuclear exchange. This article looks at the need for a closer US-Indian partnership in the future to help India find a Goldilocks solution.