The US on Tuesday said that Washington has become India’s partner of choice as the two countries have a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“… the fact is that we are a partner of India now. Historical relationships notwithstanding, we are a partner of choice for India now, as are many of our partners and allies around the World,” US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.
He also said that India’s historic relationship with Russia does not come in the way of the growing relations between New Delhi and Washington as the US is willing to become a strong defence partner of India.
Also read| German authorities crackdown on online hate speech against politicians
“India has, of course, had a historic defence and security relationship with Russia over time. That relationship came of age and came together at a time when theUS or some of our partners weren't prepared to have that kind of relationship with India… But those times have changed in terms of our willingness and ability to become a strong defence partner of India,” he further commented.
These comments come a day after the US President Joe Biden said that India’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been “shaky” which has made it an exception among all the allies of Washington.
Australian ambassador to India Barry O’Farrell on Sunday said that the QUAD countries have accepted India’s stance on the Russian Ukraine war.
Also read| Pak PM calls for unity of Islamic world
Ambassador further said that India’s abstention at the UN on the Russian-Ukrainian crisis is seen as an extension of the “no-condemnation” policy which was initiated by the country’s first PM Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru as well as its commitment to dialogue and engagement between warring parties.
The US and its allies have responded swiftly and strongly to the Russian invasion of Ukraine via crippling economic sanctions on Moscow as well as cutting Russia off of international trade.
India has recently purchased Russian crude oil at discount prices, a move which has come under severe criticism from the western press.
Russia has till now exported 360000 barrels of oil per day to India this month which is four times the average of 2021.
