A top American Senator today said India must begin acting like a close partner and ally of the US, noting that despite the growing closeness, "frustration" continues to exist in many areas including defence.
"India must begin acting like a close partner and ally. Despite the growing closeness, it is no secret that frustration continues to exist in many areas, both defence and non-defence," Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Senator John McCain said in an op-ed for CNN.
He said the US expects a lot of its partners and allies, including joint patrolling, significant contributions to armed conflicts, and a strict adherence to human rights, among other things. "The sooner India can showcase these commitments, and wipe away the lingering frustrations, the further it will move toward achieving the global power status it seeks," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington this week underscores just how important the US-India relationship has become, McCain said.
"In the coming years, I see an India that provides critical stability in a rapidly changing Indian Ocean region. I see an India that maintains regional balance against expansionist adversaries in the Pacific.
"I see an India that is a stronger, more capable ally in the struggle against global terrorism and piracy. And this is just the beginning. If we can come together as defense partners, our countries can be immensely positive forces for increased global peace and security," he noted.
"Getting there, however, will not be easy. To achieve all this, the US will need to begin treating India the same as it does its close partners and allies. Asking India to increasingly take on global responsibilities, yet not providing the associated benefits, is not a sustainable strategy," he said.
"Whether it is streamlining the approval process for defense exports, jointly developing military technology or coordinating defense activities, the US needs to make a clear, unambiguous commitment to our joint future in defense," McCain added.
