The White House has said India remained a “key strategic partner” for the United States irrespective of its stance on any particular crisis or contingency around the world, including the Middle East — an indication to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
At a media briefing on Wednesday, John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House, said the US was dedicated to advancing its partnership with India every single day, reported news agency PTI.
The remarks from the White House come ahead of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit to India for the 5th India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
“India is a key strategic partner, and I think you saw that on full display when Prime Minister Modi was here. But we’ll leave it to the Indian government and to the prime minister to decide what their stance is going to be on any particular crisis or contingency around the world, including the Middle East. They (India) remain a key strategic partner. And we’re dedicated to advancing that partnership every single day,” Kirby said.
#WATCH | John Kirby, NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications on PM Modi’s state visit to the US says, “India is a key strategic partner. And I think you saw that on full display when Prime Minister Modi was here. But we’ll leave it to the Indian government and the Prime… pic.twitter.com/ajWGGV1MRU
— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2023
The remarks by Kirby are in line with what another senior State Department official said earlier this month. According to a News18 report, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu emphasised that India and the US had a common goal of preventing the spread of the current conflict in the Middle East.
India has historically supported a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. However, India abstained from a UN General Assembly vote on a resolution calling for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza in October.
The war between Hamas, a Palestinian outfit, and Israel has killed over 10,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The conflict has also claimed the lives of around 1,400 Israelis.
