Millennium Post

Trump card: USA calls India ‘leading global power’

- LALIT K JHA

Describing India as a “leading global power” in its newly unveiled National Security Strategy, the USA’S Trump administra­tion said that it will deepen America’s strategic partnershi­p with India and support its leadership role in maintainin­g security in the Indo-pacific region. The 68-page document said that the USA will seek to increase quadrilate­ral cooperatio­n with Japan, Australia and India.

“We welcome India’s emergence as a leading global power and stronger strategic and defence partner,” said the National Security Strategy unveiled by President Donald Trump. “We will expand our defence and security cooperatio­n with India, a Major Defence Partner of the United States, and support India’s growing relationsh­ips throughout the region,” the NSS said, noting that its vision for Indopacifi­c excludes no nation.

India-us defence relationsh­ip was mentioned in the context of Indo-pacific region, whereas it gave a very prominent role to India in South and Central Asia. “We will deepen our strategic partnershi­p with India and support its leadership role in Indian Ocean secu- rity and throughout the broader region,” according to the NSS which the White House said sets a positive strategic direction for the US that will restore America’s advantages in the world and build upon its strengths.

With an eye on China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) and the China-pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the US administra­tion said that it will help South Asian countries “maintain their sovereignt­y” as China increases its influence in the region. “We will help South Asian nations maintain their sovereignt­y as China increases its influence in the region,” it said.

The recent Chinese moves in Sri Lanka and the Maldives are seen as efforts on their part to encroach eat on their sovereignt­y, with similar fears in Pakistan. India has objected to the CPEC as it passes through Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).

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