According to the Biden administration, it is India—an emerging power that will never formally ally with the United States but aspires to a leadership role on the world stage. According to Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell during a hearing on U.S. China competitiveness beyond the Indo-Pacific, end. His comments came even as there is speculation about a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this month to Kyiv amid the sudden spurt in global efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine.
In an address to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Campbell underlined the special place and independence of India in international affairs. "India is a great power with its own beliefs and interests. They will neither be an official ally nor partner of the United States. That doesn't exclude having the strongest possible relationships as allied nations on the world stage," he added.
He was responding to a question from Senator James Risch on Prime Minister Modi's visit to Moscow for a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "You've effectively addressed the Russia aspect. I won't add more to that. We might soon hear about India engaging more directly in Ukraine, which I welcome. India seeks to play a responsible role globally," Campbell noted.
Noting something unique that India brings to the table for the Global South, Campbell emphasized that quite frankly, there is no other country with that type of reach, especially in Africa and elsewhere. "It's probably the most important bilateral relationship for the United States to get right. India has immense capacity and a vibrant diaspora in the US that bridges our two great nations. I believe most Indians want a stronger relationship with the US," he added.
Campbell acknowledged India's appreciation of bipartisan attention and collaborative work in education and technology but touted US support in intelligence and military matters along the Line of Actual Control and in the Indian Ocean. "We've influenced India's trajectory in meaningful ways that align with our interests," he said.
What is interesting to the Russians and the Chinese would be that the proposed visit of Prime Minister Modi to Russia on July 8-9 for the 22nd India-Russia annual summit evokes great interest in the West with the continuing Ukraine-Russia conflict. This would be the first visit by Modi to Russia since Moscow's conflict with Kyiv broke out in February 2022. After meeting Putin on 9th July, Modi said, "The Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved through fighting, just as peace talks have no meaning if bloodshed continues.".
Read also | Kamala Harris to Kick Off Philadelphia Rally with Future Vice Presidential Pick
Read also | Quad Ministers Anticipate India’s Role as Host for Upcoming Summit
