 "'Threatening undertone in Garcetti’s remark': Experts react to US envoy’s take on India-Russia relations")
A day after US envoy Eric Garcetti said “strategic autonomy” cannot apply in times of conflict in a swipe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Russia, experts on Friday underscored several critical aspects that the US diplomat overlooked, with former diplomat Kanwal Sibal saying that there was a threatening undertone in Garcetti’s remark.
Taking to X, Kanwal said it’s not clear who is cynical in its calculations referencing to US/Nato policy towards Russia which is based on cynical geopolitics.
"…Double standards are based on cynicism. US /NATO policy towards Russia is based on cynical geopolitics. India is not taking the US for granted. Our past experience cautions us against that," he wrote in a post on X.
There’s a threatening undertone in Garcetti’s remark. Not clear who is cynical in its calculations. Double standards are based on cynicism. US /NATO policy towards Russia is based on cynical geopolitics. India is not taking the US for granted. Our past experience cautions us… https://t.co/tAkbvOminF
— Kanwal Sibal (@KanwalSibal) July 11, 2024
Kanwal said US should not overplay its hand vis a vis India.
“India wants very good relations with the US but they should not be based on efforts to restrict our foreign policy choices when the US accepts no such restriction at all on its choices. US’s China policy is not based on India’s concerns, nor is its Russia policy based on our concerns. Let’s avoid using terms like cynicism,” he added.
Reacting to Garcetti’s remarks, Geopolitical Analyst Colonel Rohit Dev said that India and USA have a bilateral relationship and a strategic 2+2 going for mutual gains and the relationship between the two countries doesn’t hinge on any military or geopolitical alliance.
“India doesn’t have to agree with any of the Wars which USA gets into. India has its own Geopolitical Commitments and National Interests to cater to and it, like USA, will always keep that in mind. We Vote differently at times on global platforms like UN etc and that’s keeping our National Interests first,” he wrote on X.
Let's put a lens to it Ambassador @ericgarcetti @USAmbIndia
— Colonel Rohit Dev (RDX) 🇮🇳 (@RDXThinksThat) July 11, 2024
1. India and USA have a Bilateral Relationship and a Strategic 2+2 going for mutual gains
2. Our Relationship doesn't hinge on any Military or Geopolitical Alliance
3. India doesn't have to agree with any of the Wars… pic.twitter.com/Aliwur6cXX
He further said that USA went to Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan etc. in military capacity but India did not and it need not in the future.
“USA hasn’t gone in ‘With Boots’ into Ukraine but is seemingly playing a War through Proxy with Russia and surely India is retaining its relationships with Russia and Ukraine the way it wants to and Indo-USA Relations should NOT be held to ransom,” he said.
He said India is nor part of Nato and asked if USA will supply for all energy needs of India at a competitive price as a long-term commitment.
“It can’t,” he added.
He asked if US will commit to fighting militarily alongside India and against China or will
US support all calls of India in UN, WTO etc.
“It can’t,” he added.
He said US won’t detach itself from Pakistan forever and neither will USA stop all trade with China, if India requests.
He said, historically, USA has not supported India on many contentious issues, while Soviet Union had been an all-weather friend.
“Today, post fragmentation of Soviet Union, Russia and Ukraine are seeking some neo-alignments and India has separate Bilateral Relationship with them; just like it has with USA,” he added.
In his address at a defence news conclave in New Delhi on Thursday, Garcetti said that he respects that India likes its “strategic autonomy”, but in times of conflict, there is no such thing as strategic autonomy, even as he pitched for forging a stronger partnership between New Delhi and Washington.
He also said that in an interconnected world, “no war is distant anymore” and asserted that one must not just stand for peace, but also take concrete actions to make sure those who don’t play by peaceful rules, their war machines “cannot continue unabated”.
The US envoy said that is something the US needs to know and that India needs to know together.
His comments come in the backdrop of multiple ongoing conflicts in the world, including in Ukraine and Israel-Gaza.
Garcetti’s remarks follows the Biden administration on Tuesday saying that India will continue to be a strategic partner for the US despite concerns over its ties with Russia.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Russia for two days for the 22nd India-Russia annual summit that has been watched closely by the West amidst the raging Ukraine conflict.
The event was held at the Unites Services Institution (USI), Delhi, and attended by many defence experts.
“I know that India… and I respect that India likes its strategic autonomy. But in times of conflict, there is no such thing as strategic autonomy. We will, in crisis moments, need to know each other. I don’t care what title we put to it, but we will need to know that we are trusted friends, brothers and sisters, colleagues that in times of need… be acting together,” Garcetti said.
The envoy in his address described India-US ties as deep, ancient and increasingly broad, but urged to not take this relationship for granted.
Underling whole areas of cooperation, including in defence, the joint military exercises and India’s naval prowess in the western Indian Ocean in combating piracy and other challenges, he envisioned the US and India together as an “unstoppable force for good in the world”.
He described the US-India defence partnership as one which stands “among the most consequential” in the world.
“We don’t just see our future in India and India doesn’t just sees its future with the US, but the world can see great things in our relationship. In other words, there are countries on the sidelines hoping this relationship works. Because if it works, it doesn’t just become a counterbalance, it becomes a place where we are developing our weapons together, integrating our training together,” Garcetti said.
In times of emergencies, whether that be a natural disaster or god forbid, a human-caused war, “the US and India will be a powerful ballast against the waves that will sweep over Asia and other parts of the world”, he asserted.
“And I think, we all know that we are interconnected in the world, no war is distant anymore. And we must not just stand for peace, we must take concrete actions to make sure those who don’t play by peaceful rules, that their war machines cannot continue unabated. And that is something the US needs to know and that India needs to know together,” the envoy said.
“In the past three years, we have witnessed countries which have ignored sovereign borders. I dont’ have to remind how important borders are, it’s a central principle to peace in our world,” he added.
With inputs from agencies
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