USA Needs To Invest In Building Relationship With India, Must Refrain From “ Sanctions & Wavers “
By
Colonel Awadhesh Kumar, Special Forces
American Governmental system has probably not been able to understand that it cannot threaten or coerce India in any sphere or by any means. Any such action will be detrimental to the USA itself.
The largest democracy by geographical size needs help from the largest democracy population wise. This simple fact should have been understood by the American Congress, the President of USA, the State Department of USA and their Pentagon right after India carried out its nuclear blast.
The American supremacy, at least in the Pacific Oceanic Zone needs full backing of India other wise it may not be able to withstand against China for long. Though India’s own security needs will also be strengthened by containing China in the Indo Pacific, it is just not the seas, but the Himalayan borders which need to be protected. So till the time India fields its own missile defence systems it needs to purchase standalone S-400 system from Russia.
India has negotiated the terms and conditions of purchase with Russia and it will not tolerate any interference in this, especially threats from USA or any other country. US should not make the mistake of treating India like Turkey or even NATO, it cannot coerce India.
India and the United States have come a long way since 1998 in building a close friendship with the potential to define the 21st century.However it needs to be on the basis of equality and nothing else.
This friendship between the two countries cannot be in ON and OFF mode, but should be consistent, keeping each others geopolitical interests in mind. Major Policy differences need to be discussed and tiffs resolved.
However this bilateral relations should not be taken to mean that the two countries cannot have bilateral relationship with others.
In case USA has relationship with Pakistan then India can have similar relationship with Iran or even with North Korea for that matter. The unilateral USA sanction on India purchasing oil from Iran will certainly not work in the long run.
Presently India will be able to work around the Donald Trump Administration’s decision by buying its oil elsewhere and later by paying Iran in Indian rupees or Indian goods.
However finally time will come when India itself will have to impose sanctions on USA for giving military and other aids to Pakistan.
US, on one hand declares that its intent is to empower India as an ally to confront shared security challenges, but its actions are contrary to it.
USA should not treat India as its camp follower. India will maintain equal level friendship with Russia and other countries and will like to have similar relationship with even China.
Today both Israel and Palestine are friendly with India and so are Iran and Saudi Arabia. Except Pakistan, a terrorist supporter, India has friendly relations with nearly every one.
So the US’ penalisation of countries which choose to procure military armaments from Russia cannot apply to India, otherwise it will harm Indo US relationship to a great extent.
New Delhi’s decision to buy the S-400 missile system from time tested friend and long time defence supplier Russia cannot be jettisoned because imperial US wants it.
Washington will have to get in the business of selling advanced US-made defence technologies to India where Russian military technology will always be welcome.
Washington has to de conflict the issue and stop using the words like waiver for Sanctions etc instead deal with its perceived Russian threats by competing with Russia like a true business man.
It must try and offer the best and the latest at the most competitive price to help blossoming of defence cooperation between India and USA.
Also it must jettison the idea that India is dependent on Russia or America for military hardware.
From almost no defence relationship a few decades ago, the US is today one of the top three suppliers of defence equipment to India.
However, what India has purchased from USA comprises primarily selective items which India needs urgently, instead of multi-year, big ticket platforms.
The US would probably like to become India’s exclusive supplier of defence equipment on the basis of a formal alliance treaty, but this cannot happen.
Even when India was no military power, it refrained from joining NATO or CENTO or WARSAW pacts and it will certainly not do so now.
