Amidst rising tensions between India and China, the Trump administration has expressed its support of India’s position on the matter. On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany was quoted saying that the “aggressive stance” of China in the dispute with India and other countries, showed the “true nature” of the Chinese Government. She further said: “With regard to India and China, we are closely monitoring the situation. The president is doing so well. And he said that China’s aggressive stance along the India-China border fits the larger pattern of Chinese aggression in other parts of the world.”
At a press briefing on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also came out in support of India’s decision to ban 59 Chinese apps. He said, “We welcome India’s ban on certain mobile apps that can serve as appendages of the CCP’s surveillance state.” He added, “India’s Clean App approach will boost India’s sovereignty. It will also boost India’s integrity and national security, as the Indian Government itself stated.” Last week, Pompeo also declared his decision to reorient American troops into Asia to counter China’s moves in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.
In fact, the US is not alone in its support for India’s position. France, too, took a firm stand to come out and condemn Chinese actions in Galwan. Florence Parly, France’s Defence Minister, in a letter to her Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh, expressed condolences over the June 15 incident in Galwan. The message read: “This was a hard blow against the soldiers, their families and the nation.” Moreover, the French support has not been restricted to this communication. Over the past few weeks, France has taken actions to support India and its defence capabilities against China by expediting the delivery of 36 Rafale jets. Both countries are working towards remapping the schedule of the delivery of the promised aircraft. Consequently, the delivery of the four jets, which was scheduled to conclude in October, will now be arriving in Ambala on July 27. Furthermore, this delivery will have six jets instead of four, after France diverted two additional aircraft from its own air force to meet the demand of its Indian counterparts.
Also Read: US House Foreign Affairs Committee Holds Hearing Titled “China’s Maritime Ambitions”
China’s increasing maritime aggression and posturing and the resulting international pushback have also led to the resurgence of the “Quad” of Australia, the US, Japan, and India. It appears that there is growing consensus for a “rules-based order” in the Indo-Pacific region amongst all the players in the area, paving the way for a global confrontation of China’s maritime ambitions. Further, on Saturday, Indian and Japanese navies conducted military exercises in the Indian Ocean to increase the two forces’ interoperability. Additionally, Japan too offered condolences on the death of the soldiers but did not come forward with any such statement regarding Chinese casualties.
Also Read: India and Japan Conduct Naval Exercises in Indian Ocean
Australia, too, has elevated its relationship with India from a Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). In early June, PM Narendra Modi inked nine agreements with PM Scott Morrison, including a Shared Vision for Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific” and a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA). Morrison also boosted Australia’s defence budget by $270 billion, warning that Australia must prepare for a “more dangerous and more disorderly world”. He announced that Australia is expanding its “long-range maritime and land strike capabilities”.
On the other hand, Russia has taken a highly balanced stand on the Galwan tensions—a position that is driven by its friendly relations with both India and China. Russian Ambassador, Kudashev, tweeted, “We welcome all steps aimed at de-escalation at the LAC, including the conversation between the two FMs, and remain optimistic.” He added, “The existence of the RIC is an indisputable reality, firmly fixed on the world map. As for the current stage of the trilateral cooperation, there were no indications that it might be frozen.” Dmitry Peskov, the Spokesman to Russia’s President, denied any possibility of Russia playing the role of a negotiator in the Galwan dispute. He said, “We have to consider that the two countries are capable of taking necessary steps to prevent such situations in the future and ensure that there is predictability and stability in the region and that this is a safe region for nations, first of all, China and India.” Nevertheless, Russia has agreed to expedite the delivery of 33 jets—21 MiG-29, and 12 SU-30 MKI fighter jets—to India, to help it tackle the dual-threat that it faced from both Pakistan and China.
Also Read: Russia Agrees to Expedite Delivery of Fighter Jets to India
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