India downplays issues picked up by US for talks

INDIA, U.S. AGAINST MILITARY TAKE OVER OF AFGHANISTAN

India on Thursday appeared to downplay the reported references to various issues including the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the farmers’ protests in the country over farm laws during a discussion on Wednesday between Indian “civil society guests” and US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken at a roundtable discussion organised by the US side, with New Delhi on Thursday evening instead pointing to the “conversations on contemporary issues” that had taken place at the official meeting between Blinken and external afffairs minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday “from the framework of national experiences, historical perspectives and unique contexts”.

It may be recalled that in a strong response at a joint media briefing on Wednesday afternoon after bilateral talks and a “good conversation” between the two foreign ministers, EAM Jaishankar had said in a veiled hint at the CAA and the abrogation of Article 370 that polities had a moral obligation to right historical wrongs. Stating that freedom should not be equated with lack of governance, he had added that the quest for a more perfect democracy and Union was applicable to not just the US and India but all democracies.

India has said that it will not accept any outcome in Afghanistan that is decided by the use of force. In a statement in the Rajya Sabha, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said on Thursday India and the United States are against any military takeover of Afghanistan. On the question of Chinese aggression at the Line of Actual Control and asked if India had sought the help of the United States in dealing with China, the minister said the Indian government would “do whatever is necessary to ensure that India’s security is adequately protected”.

“We have strong defence and security cooperation with the United States. We have policy exchanges, we conduct exercises, especially maritime exercises. The Government of India will always do whatever is necessary to ensure that India’s security is adequately protected,” he told the Upper House. Giving details of his talks with US secretary of state Antony J. Blinken, Jaishankar said: “We were very clear that there must be a negotiated political settlement in Afghanistan.