India developed ties with Russia as US couldn't do it earlier: Blinken

In the case of India, there is a relationship that goes back decades. And Russia, for India, was out of necessity a partner of choice when we were not in a position to be a partner: Antony Blinken

Asserting that now there is a growing strategic convergence between the United States and India, Secretary of State Tony Blinken said New Delhi built its partnership with Moscow out of necessity as the US was not in a position to do that earlier.

"In the case of India, there is a relationship that goes back decades. And Russia, for India, was out of necessity a partner of choice when we were not in a position to be a partner," he told lawmakers on Wednesday.

"Now, we are investing in that effort. I think there is a growing strategic convergence between the United States and India," Blinken said.

"And of course, China is a big part of that," Blinken said in response to a question from Senator William Hagerty during a Congressional hearing by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations.

Hagerty had sought Blinken's views on the India-US relationship.

"What I see before us is something I'm certain that is very frustrating in the short-term when we have our differences and you deal with that every day," Hagerty said.

"But in the long-term, the strategic partnership that we have with India I think poses the opportunity to do more good in the 21st century," he said.

Blinken in response said he very much shares the perspective shared by the Senator.

"I think this partnership has the potential to be one of the most important and foundational partnerships that we have going forward over the next decades," he said.

Blinken said US President Joe Biden has spent "a lot of time directly engaging with Prime Minister Modi and India's leadership".

"We have energised the Quad that brings India together with Australia and Japan and us. This has been a very important vehicle for strengthening our collaboration across a whole variety of fronts with India," he said.

"What's interesting is this is a moment of strategic inflection, by which I mean this. A number of countries are now relooking at some of their relationships and some of their interests, particularly when it comes to their relationship with Russia," added the top American diplomat.

Earlier, Derek Chollet, a top advisor of US Secretary Antony Blinken said "Washington fully understands New Delhi's long-standing ties to Moscow."

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Chollet said that the US is there to support India and the partnership between US and India has tremendous potential.

"We understand that India has had a long-standing defense relationship with Russia over many years and part of that was because the United States was not available to be a partner. It is decades ago and we face a much different reality today," he said.

"Over the last 10 years, the US-India Defense Partnership has changed dramatically. We see great potential and opportunity in their relationships. Anything that two plus two conversations between Secretary (Antony) Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had with their counterparts helped further clarify that."

Asserting that India is a strategic partner of the United States, Chollet said: "We're natural allies. And this partnership has tremendous potential. It's already paying dividends for both countries in the region and all around the world. And we think, really, there's nowhere to go but up.