The Biden administration this week said that the US categorizes its ties with India as its ‘most important’.
Adviser to US president Biden for Indo-Pacific Affairs in the National Security Council Kurt Campbell while addressing a panel discussion at Washington’s Center for a New American Security (CNAS) said that the US views India as its most important partner in the 21st century.
“The most important relationship, in my view, for the United States in the 21st century is likely to be with India. We need to make clear institutionally that we’re going to step up our partnerships across the Indian government, stronger intelligence links, stronger trade and economic links,” Campbell was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Campbell said that there are challenges to every bilateral relationship and referred to India’s response to the war on Ukraine and its relationship with Russia. “It is unrealistic to expect that on every issue that you will have complete alignment among four dynamic nations,” Campbell said while answering a question related to QUAD.
He also highlighted that the US understands that Moscow-New Delhi ties run deep. He said that the US is ready to give India alternatives on issues related to security while urging allies like UK, France and Israel to also help provide defense-related alternatives to India.
Earlier on Friday, US state department spokesperson Ned Price also said the US hopes India will gradually shift away from Russia, when he was asked about India purchasing crude oil from Russia. Price also said that the US is ‘ready and able and willing to partner’ with India.
Campbell said that the US-India relationship can be difficult but it is necessary. “I think the longer-term trajectory will bring the United States and India much closer together,” Campbell said.
The comments coming from both policymakers indicate a shift in US rhetoric against Moscow-New Delhi ties. The US political establishment and several lawmakers since the Russian invasion of Ukraine chided India for taking a neutral stance.
On several occasions, the US media also attempted to paint India as being supportive of Russia’s actions in Ukraine without acknowledging that PM Modi and the Indian government spoke to both leaders of Ukraine and Russia and condemned the mass killings in Bucha.
(with inputs from ANI)
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