Kenneth Juster, outgoing US envoy to India, on Tuesday said that India is confronting sustained Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Washington has been cooperating with New Delhi to counter that.
“Our close coordination has been important as India confronts, perhaps on a sustained basis, aggressive Chinese activity on its border,” Juster said in his farewell address on ''Ambition and Achievement in the US-India Partnership''.
The ambassador further said that the US has left the decision of getting into the extent of cooperation between the two countries on India, be it military or otherwise. According to him, the close coordination between the US and India becomes important in the backdrop of India facing aggressive Chinese activity on its border on a sustained basis.
He said, "I believe that no country has a strong and robust a defense and counterterrorism relationship with India as does the United States. Simply put, no other country does as much to contribute to the security of Indians and India."
Talking about the rise of China and the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic that has badly impacted economies, the ambassador said that the Indo-Pacific region needs stability, leadership, and a democratic model for development that does not threaten the sovereignty of other nations.He further added that this is the reason why India is an important partner to promote peace and prosperity.
Troops of both India and China have been engaging in violent face-offs along the border of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since early April-May of 2020. During clashes between troops of India and China on June 15 in Galwan, 20 Indian soldiers and an unspecified number of Chinese soldiers were killed.
The US on various occasions has been criticizing China and has expressed its support for India's efforts to defend sovereignty.
