Speaking at the Hudson Institute, US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma said that India-US ties are founded on principles of inclusivity, peace, and peaceful settlement of disputes. He also expressed his confidence that the relationship had entered an ‘era of convergence’.
Washington: US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Richard Verma, said that China and Russia have grown uneasy over the intensifying India-US relationship, as the latter symbolizes inclusiveness, peace, and resolution of disputes without bloodshed. He was addressing the prestigious Hudson Institute when he made the observations, responding to a question.
“Frankly, why would China and Russia be so hell-bent on preventing this partnership? Because we bring a way of life to the rest of the world, that is about inclusivity, about peace, about peaceful resolution of disputes, about the rule of law, and it’s about hearing everyone’s voice in a society,” Verma said. The US diplomat also said that the relationship between India and the US is “a very different mode” than how some of the adversaries of the latter operate.
Verma further said the uniqueness of India-US relations is why President Joe Biden has described it as the “defining relationship of this century.” He recalled that almost 20 years ago, when he stood with then-Senator Biden and staff director Tony Blinken in the Senate, Biden had remarked that if the US and India were the closest friends and partners by 2020, the world would be a much safer place.
India-US partnership has a ‘bright future.’ The US diplomat said that the bilateral relations between New Delhi and Washington have moved into an era of convergence with firm foundations and a bright path ahead. He also added that, like any other country, the US and India do not agree on everything. “So long as we are not complacent and do not take the recent gains of the past quarter century for granted, then I do believe our years ahead can be even better, even stronger, and even more impactful,” he said.
It was former president Bill Clinton, he said, who once and for all de-linked US-India and US-Pakistan policy. “Indo-Pak would be set aside in favor of a robust set of policy initiatives that were not only significant, but they were creative, too. There was no more creative and, yes, difficult policy decision than to construct the US-India Civil Nuclear Deal,” he said.
He said that the two countries are now jointly developing and producing some of the world’s most sophisticated systems, all in the name of promoting greater peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. The ripple effects of this cooperation should not be underestimated, especially when integrated into arrangements like the Quad, he said.
Challenges of the India-US Relationship
Elaborating on the challenges of the India-US partnership, Verma said he was concerned about Russia’s invasion into Ukraine and how this is dovetailing into its ever-increasing relations with China. “I am concerned, for example, about increasing Russia-China collaboration, especially in the security sphere. This partnership could aid Russia in its unlawful war against Ukraine,” he said.
“I am mindful of the need to deepen our economic cooperation, with clear rules of the road and more government-to-government efforts to ensure transparency and fairness. I am mindful of the need to continue to support our collective civil societies to ensure every voice is heard and supported, with the freedom to speak out,” he added.
In response to a question on QUAD, Verma said it aims to promote peace, security, stability, and prosperity. “I look at what the Quad has, the kinds of statements and pronouncements it’s made on technology, for example, technology for good, not to harass, not to surveil, not to misinform, laying out a set of key principles, going even further on some of our work on quantum computing and cybersecurity,” he said.
