US military stands strong with India on LAC tension, says White House

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 7

The US has once again publicly conveyed its support to India amid the tensions with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The US military “will continue to stand strong” in a conflict between China and its allies like India, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has said.

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Meadows’ statement of solidarity follows US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week stating that China’s “deadly” confrontation with India was one of the reasons for the Pentagon to reduce its defence commitments in Europe and look at countering emerging threats posed by China in the Asia-Pacific.

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Pompeo has also touched base with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in private as the US seeks to position itself as a useful ally for New Delhi in its border standoff with China.

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“Our military might stands strong and will continue to stand strong, whether it’s in relationship to a conflict between India and China or anywhere else,” said Meadows.

A more concrete gesture of support from Washington came in the form of India-US foreign office consultations on Tuesday. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale reviewed the entire gamut of engagements. They reaffirmed their commitment to working towards ensuring a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, besides discussing the sticking point of US visa curbs. Pompeo also made a phone call to Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid on Sunday, which helps India.

The phone call assuring Maldives of American help in combating Covid and taking up development projects that will keep China away from the island nation at a time when India is distracted with its border troubles and a sputtering economy.