India is a great power but it will never be an ally or partner of the United States, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell has said. He added, however, that maintaining good relations with New Delhi is strategically important.
India is “probably the most important relationship for the United States to get right,” Campbell said at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday, adding that the Indian diaspora in the US is a powerful connection.
Highlighting India’s desire to be an independent state, he admitted that “the hardest thing to keep in mind is that India is also a great power. It has its own beliefs, its own interests.”
“[India] will never be a formal ally or partner in the United States, but it doesn’t mean that we cannot have the strongest of possible relationships as allied nations on the global stage,” Campbell remarked.
He also expects India to engage more directly in Ukraine, lauding New Delhi’s efforts to “play a responsible role globally.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia earlier in July, where he held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a variety of issues in what he called a “homely atmosphere.”
The visit came under intense scrutiny from the West, however. The White House was reportedly “frustrated” at the timing of the meeting with Putin, as it coincided with a NATO summit in Washington.
Modi later said he appreciated the fact that he and Putin were able to openly exchange their opinions on the Ukraine crisis, dealing a blow to Western attempts to portray Russia as a pariah over the conflict. The Indian leader said that “very interesting ideas” and “completely new views” had emerged from the talks with his Russian counterpart.
India has resisted Western pressure to distance itself from Moscow since the start of the Ukraine conflict, citing its long-standing relationship with Russia. In response to US criticism, New Delhi has repeatedly stressed that it intends to maintain its strategic autonomy.
The Indian prime minister is also reportedly planning a visit to Kiev next month. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar confirmed on Monday that there would be “more contact” between New Delhi and Ukraine as well as Russia.