NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held discussions in New Delhi on Friday in an effort to support India’s stance on Israel’s conflict with Hamas and to strengthen India as a regional counterweight to China.
Blinken in India for talks: Annual “two-plus-two” talks between foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh were attended by Blinken and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. According to India, the discussions would centre around “defence and security cooperation.”
Austin stated at the opening remarks, “In the face of pressing global challenges, it’s more important than ever that the world’s two largest democracies exchange views, find common goals, and deliver for our people.”
Austin continued, stating that their collaboration “stretches from the sea to space” and that “we’ve made impressive gains in building our major defence partnership over the past year and that will help us contribute even more together to the cause of peace and stability.”
India, the United States, Australia, and Japan form the Quad alliance, which sees itself as a counterweight to China’s increasing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific area.
Blinken stated, “We are promoting a free and open, prosperous, secure and resilient Indo-Pacific,” emphasising the exchange of satellite data related to maritime affairs that has been vital in the fight against drug trafficking, piracy, and illicit fishing.
“Strategic alliance”
After US President Joe Biden’s visit to Delhi for G20 discussions in September and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in June, his counterpart Jaishankar spoke of “developing our strategic partnership” and hailed a “new chapter in our relationship.”
Additionally, Washington expects that closer defence ties will assist in weaning India off of Russia, which serves as Delhi’s main military supplier.
According to US authorities, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia will also be discussed.
Blinken’s trip to India is the culmination of an extensive journey that has taken him to South Korea, Japan, the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting (where they attempted to reach a consensus on the Gaza situation), and a whirlwind tour of the Middle East.
India swiftly condemned Hamas and flew aid for Palestinian civilians from the beleaguered Gaza Strip to Egypt. India and Washington have long called for the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
The situation in Gaza severely hampers the expectations of a major commercial and transit corridor connecting Europe, the Middle East, and India, announced during the G20 summit in September.
“US Diplomat Stresses Shared Goals with India amid Border Tensions”
Donald Lu, the top US diplomat for South and Central Asia, stated, “With India, we share the goals of preventing this conflict from spreading, preserving stability in the Middle East, and advancing a two-state solution.”
India and China, its northern neighbour, have a long-standing border dispute. In 2020, a deadly Himalayan skirmish caused diplomatic ties to abruptly halt. Their common 3,500-kilometer (2,200-mile) boundary has long been a source of conflict.
Before the trip, Lu expressed interest in hearing about the progress of India’s discussions with China regarding border issues.
In light of China’s rise, Biden’s government has stressed ties with Delhi, viewing it as a like-minded ally. However, a sour spat between India and Canada, another important US ally, may complicate Blinken’s visit.
Since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly connected Indian intelligence to the death of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in September—allegations Delhi has dismissed as “absurd”—their relations have deteriorated.
