On Monday, the US and India pledged to increase military cooperation despite tensions between the two nations over New Delhi’s relationship with Moscow.
The two countries agreed to increase military interoperability and intelligence sharing. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed the agreement to boost ties at a press conference with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh that was also attended by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
“The People’s Republic of China is seeking to refashion the region and the international system more broadly in ways that serve its interests. And so I’m pleased that we’ve identified new opportunities to extend the operational reach of our militaries and to coordinate more closely together across the expanse of the Indo-Pacific,” Austin said.
The US has increased military ties with India in recent years as part of its effort to counter China in the region. In 2020, the two countries signed a new military pact that allows the US to share more satellite data with New Delhi, which is being used by India to keep an eye on the Chinese military near the disputed border in the Himalayas.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the Biden administration has been criticizing India’s response. New Delhi has abstained from condemning the invasion and has continued to buy Russian oil, which accounts for very little of India’s energy imports. When asked about oil purchases from Russia, Jaishankar pointed out that European countries buy much more than India.
“I suspect, looking at the figures, probably our total purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon. So you might want to think about that,” Jaishankar said.
In a sign of tensions, Blinken offered a rare comment from a US official on alleged human rights abuses in India. “We regularly engage with our Indian partners on these shared values and to that end, we are monitoring some recent concerning developments in India including a rise in human rights abuses by some government, police, and prison officials,” he said.
Yeah the threats don’t work when u increase military co-operation, fear rise of China also know for a fact Indian military is loyal to the state unlike in pakistan where the military thinks itself Supreme.
India knows all this and will increase it’s purchase of Russian oil
“We’re here to help you.”
Those words should send up a red flag to all world leaders. The correct translation is “We’re here to use you.”
Use, abuse, discard. Rinse, repeat.
Trying to peel India away from Russia. India and China would provide Russia with technology that we have said we will no longer do.
Loyd J Austin the Turd is not worth the effort India. Wake Up!
Blinken scolding, implicitly threatening, India on their human rights performance.
Here they should emulate their NeoCon Mahatma. It’s just a matter of applying the right euphemisms
Finland likely to join NATO before the summer.
Finland is expected to decide within weeks rather than months whether it will apply for membership to NATO, the Finnish Prime Minister said Wednesday.
Speaking in Stockholm following a bilateral meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, Sanna Marin said it would be best to coordinate with Sweden to make similar security decisions.
“We need to have a view on the future and we are using this time to analyze and also building common views on the future when it comes to security,” Marin said.
If Finland and Sweden become full NATO members, the report said “the threshold for using military force in the Baltic Sea region would rise,” enhancing “the stability of the region in the long term.”
Marin said Finland had to be “prepared for all kinds of actions from Russia” and that “everything had changed” when Moscow attacked Ukraine.
“The difference between being a partner and a member is very clear, and will remain so. There is no other way to have security guarantees than under Nato’s deterrence and common defence as guaranteed by the alliance’s article 5,” she said.
Better headline, India Sells Itself to the Devil!
Over 50% of Americans hate Biden and his clowns.
US is making a big deal of it. And at the same time expressing concern over some disturbing information about human rights. Treatent of prisoners.
Whenever the trumpets of human rights start blaring — means US is not getting its way.
The most serious problem for India is to maintain this balancing act. But the problen is deeper — confusing message to the population at this time will be a tough balancing act. Staying with the financial and military partnership with Russia, and extening primisevof buying US weapons,
It will not be easy — US is simultaneously going to humiliate Modi by dragging out sad stories of human rights abiluses,