“India deserves a much higher, deeper and wider profile and a role” in global politics, Indian PM Narendra Modi said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) ahead of his first formal state visit to the US in nine years.
“Let me be clear that we do not see India as supplanting any country," Modi said. "We see this process as India gaining its rightful position in the world,” he added. “The world today is more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. To create resilience, there should be more diversification in supply chains.”
PM Modi gives interview to Wall Street journal ahead of the start of his US visit. https://t.co/poqOzYxebG
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) June 20, 2023
During his visit to the US, Modi is expected to finalise agreements to manufacture fighter jet engines in India to power advanced light combat aircraft and purchase high-altitude armed Predator drones from the US in a multibillion-dollar deal to boost surveillance efforts over the Indian Ocean.
Modi hailed the two countries’ increasing defence cooperation as “an important pillar of our partnership,” including trade, technology, and energy. “There is an unprecedented trust” between the leaders of the US and India, Modi stated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that 🇮🇳 #India and the 🇺🇸 #UnitedStates share an “unprecedented” trust, and added that New Delhi had not faced widespread criticism over its stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. pic.twitter.com/BfbwR9XOwr
— Resonant News🌍 (@Resonant_News) June 20, 2023
He claimed that ties between New Delhi and Washington are stronger and more profound than ever as India strives to reclaim its rightful position in the international arena amid geopolitical instability.
As the West vies with Moscow and, more and more, China, Modi's visit coincides with the competition. India has the potential to gain advantages through its collaboration with Washington. The US is reaching out to India with the aim of securing a strategic counterweight against Beijing. Acknowledging India's importance in the area, Washington has consistently bolstered defence ties with New Delhi, despite India's substantial purchases of Russian oil at discounted prices, which has provided financial support to Moscow's war machine in Ukraine.
Furthermore, India's economic connections have played a significant role in the growth of its relationship with the US in recent years. The economic ties between the two countries have flourished, with trade set to reach an all-time high of $191 billion in 2022, solidifying the US as India's primary trade partner. Additionally, the US is the third-largest contributor of foreign direct investment to India and remains one of the top five investment destinations for Indian investments.
India, US Strained Ties with China
One thing India and the US have in common is a history of strained ties with China, exemplified by growing military and economic rivalries.
India faces a pressing challenge in its immediate vicinity, as tensions escalate regarding its longstanding dispute with Beijing over the Line of Actual Control, a 2,000-mile border. The deadly clash in the Himalayas in 2020 intensified the conflict, resulting in at least 20 fatalities in clashes between Indian and Chinese forces along the disputed Himalayan border in Ladakh, Kashmir. In response to the incident, both countries have enhanced infrastructure and deployed additional troops in the region.
“For normal bilateral ties with China, peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential,” Modi said. He added that “we have a core belief in respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, observing the rule of law and peaceful resolution of differences and disputes. At the same time, India is fully prepared and committed to protect its sovereignty and dignity.”
China’s close relationship with Russia has strained US and China relations. Additionally, it is suspected sending of a spy balloon over militarily sensitive parts of the US earlier this year, differences over Taiwan’s concerns about data security for American users of China’s popular TikTok platform, and reported raids on American companies doing business there, among other issues.
PM Modi gives interview to Wall Street journal ahead of the start of his US visit. https://t.co/poqOzYxebG
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) June 20, 2023
India’s Stance on Russia-Ukraine War
“Some people say that we [India] are neutral in the Ukraine conflict. But we are not neutral. We are on the side of peace,” “All countries should respect international law and the sovereignty of countries.” He stated that disputes should be resolved with “diplomacy and dialogue,” not war.
India has maintained close relations with Russia, which continues to supply about fifty percent of the country’s military supplies, including weaponry, ammunition, tanks, jet fighters, and S-400 air defence systems. India has refrained from voting in the UN resolutions denouncing the invasion.
Regarding criticism of the US about India’s stance on Russia, Modi stated, “I don’t think this type of perception is widespread in the US.” “I think India’s position is well known and well understood in the entire world. The world has full confidence that India’s topmost priority is peace,” he added.
Modi stated that he had numerous discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He claimed he last spoke with Zelensky in May on the margins of the G7 summit in Japan. “India will do whatever it can,” he said, adding that it supports “all genuine efforts to end the conflict and ensure enduring peace and stability.”
Indian PM attributed many of the world’s issues, including terrorism, proxy conflicts, and expansionism, to the inability of Cold War-era global institutions to adapt, claiming that smaller and regional groups emerged to fill the existing vacuum. He believes that international organisations such as the UN must evolve.