20 Indian soldiers were killed in the line of duty in Ladakh last month.
Washington:
The Trump administration has maintained close contacts and “tremendous cooperation” with India on the latest assault on the Chinese border, the senior US envoy to New Delhi said, saying the past six months have been unprecedented in terms of bilateral relations.
Indian and Chinese troops have been stranded in a stalemate in several areas along the line of effective control in eastern Ladakh since May 5. The situation deteriorated last month after clashes in the Galwan Valley that killed 20 members of the Indian military in the line of duty.
“For now, (we are) observing the problems at India’s northern border in which China has raised disputes throughout the western sector, but also in the center and east. Throughout all of this we have had very close contact with our Indian counterparts and quite frankly, wonderful cooperation, ”US Ambassador to India Ken Juster said on Wednesday in his address to the Virtual Ideas Summit. in India organized by the American Business Council in India.
The ambassador’s remarks came two days after US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper called aggressive Chinese military activities in the region “unsettling”.
Esper also said the United States was monitoring the situation between India and China “very closely” along the line of effective control.
“We saw after the President’s visit (to India) several other conversations between the President and the Prime Minister. The Secretary (of State) met on numerous occasions with the Minister (of External Affairs), Jaishankar. I think it really solidified their relationship, ”Juster said.
Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun spoke not only to Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Harshvardhan Shringla, but with various counterparts in the Indo-Pacific region, he said.
Mr Juster said there had been a host of ministerial-level interactions between the two countries, including that between Trade Minister Piyush Goyal and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Trade Secretary Wilbur Ross.
The two countries also hosted a strategic energy partnership meeting. This shows the breadth and depth of the issues the two countries are working on together, he said.
“I think because of the intensity of the last six months we’ve really had a new level of comfort in dealing with each other, a level of trust and respect to get things done,” M said. Adjust.
“I remember the problems we had and the repatriation flights, for which we had to get cooperation, not only from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of External Affairs, but locally with state officials and the police men. It shows the importance of these individual relationships, ”he said.
Through all of this and the intensity of the past six months and the range of emotions from an incredibly successful presidential visit to handling the lockdown and all the pressing issues that come with it, “we have truly transformed a strategic partnership. into a comprehensive global strategic partnership, ”said Mr. Juster.
“As the Prime Minister said recently, what is perhaps the most important partnership of the 21st century. So that’s really what I think the last six months have done to solidify this relationship,” said the senior American diplomat.
