Addressing a defence conclave in Delhi, the US envoy added that India likes its strategic autonomy, but there is no such thing as “strategic autonomy” during a conflict…reports Asian Lite News
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Thursday said that the India-US relationship was wider and deeper than it’s ever been, but it was not deep enough to be taken “for granted”. The remarks are being seen as a blunt message to India following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia, which is facing several sanctions from the West over its Ukraine invasion.
Addressing a defence conclave in Delhi, the US envoy added that India likes its strategic autonomy, but there is no such thing as “strategic autonomy” during a conflict.
The sharp words of the American diplomat came just hours after PM Modi landed in Delhi after concluding his two-nation visit to Russia and Austria.
The envoy further added that in an interconnected world, “no war is distant any more” and that one must not just stand for peace, but also take concrete actions to make sure those who don’t play by peaceful rules, their war machines “cannot continue unabated”.
He said that is something the US and India need to know together.
“…It’s important for us as Americans and as Indians to remember the more we put into this relationship, the more we will get out. The more we insist on a kind of cynical calculation in the place of a trusted relationship, the less we will get… As I also remind my Indian friends, while it is wider, and it is deeper than it’s ever been, it is not yet deep enough that if we take it for granted from the Indian side towards America, I’ll fight a lot of defence battles trying to help this relationship ahead…,” he said.
“I know that India … and I respect that India likes its strategic autonomy. But in times of conflict, there is no such thing as strategic autonomy. We will, in crisis moments, need to know each other. I don’t care what title we put to it, but we will need to know that we are trusted friends, brothers and sisters, colleagues that, in times of need, in the next day, be acting together,” Garcetti said.
“… we all know that we are interconnected in the world, no war is distant any more. And we must not just stand for peace, we must take concrete actions to make sure those who don’t play by peaceful rules, that their war machines cannot continue unabated. And that is something the US needs to know and that India needs to know together,” the envoy said.
The critical comments of the US Ambassador came against the backdrop of multiple ongoing conflicts in the world, including in Ukraine and Israel-Gaza.
Earlier this week, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre urged New Delhi to support international efforts for a peaceful resolution in the war-torn country, leveraging its longstanding relationship with Moscow to encourage President Putin to end the war.
Further speaking about the war, she emphasized that it is crucial for all allies, including India, to support efforts towards a peaceful resolution in Ukraine. Further, the White House Secretary also reiterated that India is a strategic partner with whom the US engages in frank dialogue, including their relationship with Russia.
“India is a strategic partner with whom we engage in full and frank dialogue, including their relationship with Russia and we’ve talked about this before. So we think it’s critical that all countries, including India, support efforts to realize an enduring and just peace when it comes to Ukraine. It is important for all our allies to realise this.”
Jean-Pierre stressed that President Putin alone can end the war, which he started. “The US believes India’s relationship with Russia positions it to encourage President Putin to take this step,” she added.
The White House further said that India’s ties with Russia give it the ability to urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine. The statement came after PM Modi emphasised to President Putin that the solution to the Ukraine conflict lay in dialogue and not on the battlefield.
Jean-Pierre made the statement after Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his bilateral talks with Russian President Putin also raised the issue of killings of children during conflicts and said it is “heart-wrenching” when innocent children die. The Prime Minister said that everyone who believes in humanity is hurt when there is a loss of lives.