Policies regarding Russia will affect India-US relations, warns US thinktank

Washington: Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG) has said that India has adopted a neutral stand by refusing to take a stand against Russia as per the US demand. The Biden administration has claimed that this has displeased the United States. But under any circumstances, India will not go against Russia. This could affect the relations between the United States and India. Despite that, India will not change its stand taking the advice of the United States.

Moreover, India has an important place in the US scheme of things for the Indo-Pacific sector. Therefore, the United States expected India to ignore its relations with Russia. But India is not prepared for this. Indian refusal to go against Russia over the Russia-Ukraine conflict has shocked the lawmakers from both the ruling and the opposition parties in the United States. But there is no possibility of India changing its policies regarding Russia. ASG has inferred that this is not possible, at least in the short term.

US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland visited India for this purpose. Besides, Two-Plus-Two talks will soon be held between Ministers from both countries. Nuland visited India before that. Nuland appealed to India to accept an alternative to Russian fuel, Russian made defence equipment. But India has refused to pay heed to this advice. In its report, ASG has warned that cracks could develop in the Indian image as a partner country of the United States.

While the report was being published, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that purchasing Russian weapons and defence equipment is not in the Indian interest. Austin made this claim during a hearing in front of the Armed Services Committee of the US Senate.