US' Relationship With India Its ‘Most Important’ Partnership In 21st Century, Key Biden Official Says

New Delhi: The United States of America's relationship with India is the “most important” partnership that the country has with any country in the 21st century, and Washington finds it “deeply concerning” that Beijing has created disturbances along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), according to Kurt Campbell, Indo-Pacific Coordinator at the National Security Council, The White House.

Responding to a question by ABP Live at an event organised by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), a Washington based think-tank, Campbell said: “I believe we (US and India) are destined to work more closely together… The relationship is deeper, richer and more strategically important.” He said there has been an “exponential increase” in US-India engagement across all key sectors, with the most recent one being in technology in the context of the recently concluded first round of meeting on the ‘Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology’, or iCET.

"We just concluded discussions in a form called iCET in which the Indian NSA brought the highest-ranking group Indian technologists ever to come to any country and it came to US, to talk about how to partner in areas going forward,” he said.

Campbell, however, said the US and India share close ties but that does not mean that New Delhi is an “ally” of Washington.

"India is a great power. India is not an ally for the United State and it never will be an ally for the United States. But it does not mean that we will not be close partners and share many things and that’s how we need to understand the role that India will play as a great nation on the global stage,” he said, replying to ABP Live.

He also criticised China's move to unilaterally change the status quo at the border areas that led to a military standoff in April-May 2020, which is still going on.

"China has taken series of actions that has challenged the global order and that have raised questions on China’s goal and ambitions … Some of the steps that China has taken along the vast 5,000 miles border (with India) had been provocative, deeply concerning to India’s partners and friends,” said Campbell.

According to a report by CNAS, China has in recent years increased its border disputes through infrastructure development, military deployments, capability enhancements, and periodic efforts to encroach into territory controlled by India.

Quad Leaders Will Work Together In 'Practical Areas Of Common Purpose': Campbell

On the upcoming Quad Summit, Campbell said the existence of the group has now become a “normal part of the 21st century architecture”, something that was difficult a few years back.

"So we are proud of the fact that it was (George W.) Bush administration which after the tragic Tsunami brought the Quad together … Four maritime democracies getting together for a common purpose and respond … The Trump administration sought to brought it back. President Biden’s vision was to take it to leader level just two years ago when it was difficult to get an agreement,” the key official in President Joe Biden's administration said.

At the upcoming Quad Summit, he said, leaders will be focussing on working together in “practical areas of common purpose”. The summit is scheduled to take place later this year in Sydney, Australia.

'US-China Ties Entering A New Phase’

According to Campbell, owing to the growing tensions between the US and China, both sides are now looking at a “new phase” in their bilateral relationship – one that will be marked by “peaceful competition”.

"We do believe we are in the early stages of a new phase of our relationship between Washington and Beijing,” he said.

The official added: “The dominant framing of that (US-China future ties) is competition and we seek it to be peaceful competition.”