China and Russia are becoming increasingly worried about the improving India-US relationship as it stands for integration, cooperation and the policy of resolving international problems without using force, as well as the approach to the multicultural and diverse demographic base of societies, the US Assistant Secretary of State said on Monday.

Richard Verma, the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources said "Frankly, why do you think China and Russia are so concerned about this partnership? Because we bring a way of life to the rest of the world, that is about inclusivity, about peace, about the peaceful resolution of disputes, about the rule of law, and it's about hearing everyone's voice in a society,” while fielding a question during his speech on Indo-US relations at the Hudson Institute. Mr Verma said the special partnership that exists between India and US is “a very different mode” compared to some of the enemies that the US has.

According to the diplomat, it is this reason why president Joe Biden said that the bilateral relationship was the “defining relation of this century.” He noted that it was about 19 years ago when he was standing with then-senator Biden and Tony Blinken, the staff director of the Senate, Biden said that if the US and India were friends and strategic partners by 2020, the world would be safer. Mr. Verma further said "Not just because we have two big militaries, not just because we have two big economies, but because we actually stand for something that matters to people in their daily lives across the world.”

India-US Relations
Image Source: The White House

Significance of the Quad Leaders Summit: A Milestone in India-US Relations

While responding to a question on QUAD, Mr Verma said that it was a strategic cooperation meant to foster peace, security, stability and prosperity. He stated "I look at what the Quad has, the kinds of statements and pronouncements it's made on technology, for example …technology for good, not to harass, not to surveil, not to misinform, laying out a set of key principles, going even further on some of our work on quantum computing and cybersecurity.”

He further added "When I look at what the Quad has said and done on energy transition, trade, rule-based order, I don't think it has to take on a military character. Indians are not supportive of that. Frankly, I don't think we need that. I think there are other venues to deal with core military issues.”

He also said "I think this is about like-minded countries, two of which are treaty allies of the United States, coming together in a different form, in a different architecture, bringing in the most populous country in the Indo-Pacific to actually chart some new territory that we hadn't charted before. I think it has a positive impact on security without being a treaty-based security organisation. There's great promise and excitement in the QUAD. I think this weekend's meeting will be quite significant. It'll be historic. QUAD will continue to just build in many ways.”

In a goodwill gesture to the heads of the other Quad member countries, US President Joe Biden will welcome the leaders – from Australia, India and Japan – to his residence in Delaware next week for the fourth in-person Quad leaders summit, a presidential spokesperson said Thursday. India which was supposed to host QUAD this year would host the same next year. The QUAD leadership summit is brought by Biden and it is one of the significant foreign policy achievements for the departing American president.

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