Washington: Because the position of “problem” taken by India in Russian invasion to Ukraine, Indian-US bilateral relations “entered an uncharted area”, the top official of Trump Administration said on Wednesday.
Lisa Curtis, who is the Trump administration point for India for four years of presidency, made a statement warned that in the absence of the “course correction” by New Delhi, would be increasingly difficult for both countries to expand their defense and security bonds outside a certain level.
“I think Indian relations entered the area that has not yet been mapped. The problem of the bond near India with Russia has always been an irritant in the US-Indian partnership. But with a Russian invasion that cannot be justified and not proven to the sovereign state, there is hope that India will do it. With Russia, “said Ms Curtis to the PTI news agency in an interview.
Ms Curtis, who is now a senior colleague and the Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the center for the new American security thinking tank, said February 24 which marks Russian invasion to Ukraine has changed everything in terms of the United States of America is India moving forward.
“I think there are some understanding of India’s very difficult position that it cannot change its dependence on Russian military equipment in overnight and India has real security interests that need to be protected,” he said.
“But I think moving forward, hope there will be some adjustments to Indian relations with Russia. Otherwise I think it will make it more difficult for the US and India to truly expand the defense and security partnerships outside a certain level,” added Ms Curtis.
Ms Curtis, who served as an assistant representative to the President and Senior NSC Director for South and Central Asia from 2017 to 2021 under three consecutive national security advisors, praised the Biden government for his understanding of India’s position in Russia.
The Biden government has built a momentum that Trump’s administration has created an Indian US relations, he said, added that most of which continued and had built and extended progress with a quad dialog.
“The fact that there are three summer quads – two virtual and one personally – because the Biden government comes to the office is truly extraordinary. This shows that Quad has become the center pillar of the Biden government’s Indo-Pacific strategy,” he said.
People can see in the Indo-Pacific strategy documents that the Biden government places great value in its strategic partnership with India and it really looks at India as playing a central role in the Indo Pacific strategy, he observes.
“I think that’s why we saw Biden administration showing extraordinary patience towards a very disappointing response to the Russian invasion to Ukraine. The Biden government takes a long view of India; recognizing that India is important to discuss Chinese aggression in the region,” he said.
