India unlikely to look at Russia as secure friend: Congressman Ro Khanna
The Hindu
India is unlikely to look at Russia as a “secure” friend, given Moscow’s closer ties with Beijing in the wake of the raging war in Ukraine, a top Indian-American Congressman has said.
India is unlikely to look at Russia as a "secure" friend, given Moscow's closer ties with Beijing in the wake of the raging war in Ukraine, a top Indian-American Congressman has said.
Congressman Ro Khanna told a group of reporters over a luncheon interaction on April 25 that the goal of Indian Americans in the U.S. Congress should be to strengthen the relationship.
"I don’t think that given the closer ties between Russia and China, India would look to Russia as a secure friend to hedge against the invasion, potentially, of its border in Asia, and that they [Indians] know the United States would be a more trusted partner for that objective,” he said.
It is in India's interest to align more firmly with the U.S. in terms of the "best hedge" against China, he said, adding that it has been a significant factor in Indian foreign policy.
“External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has been clear that that doesn't mean they will march lockstep with our interests in the United States, but they want to align at this moment because they see that it's strategically important,” Mr. Khanna said.
Unlike its Quad partner countries, India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it abstained from the votes at the UN platforms on the Russian aggression.
India has been pressing for an immediate cessation of violence in Ukraine and seeking a resolution of the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue.
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