Blinken visit: A shot in the arm for Indo-US ties

The threat from an aggressive China is now the biggest global concern for US and India and this alone makes the maiden trip of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken extremely gainful for India in terms of its strategic value

- DC Pathak

NEW DELHI

The visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to New Delhi on July 28 put the seal on strategic partnership between the two largest democracies and established

India’s special position for Biden Presidency. The US and India are now on a path of unhindered friendship having moved towards convergence on a host of crucial issues including the challenge of the pandemic, climate, emerging technologies, security of Indo-Pacific and return of a democratic and inclusive regime in Afghanistan.

In his interaction with civil society groups during the visit, Blinken spoke of the democratic values and put both the US and India on the same page by describing democracy as ‘work in progress’ and emphasising the importance of fundamental freedoms and institutional independence in cementing the relationship between the two nations. There was a sense of goodwill and transparency about what was said by the visiting dignitary — the opposition here interpreting it as an oblique criticism of the present Indian ruling dispensation was just pursuing its own political agenda.