China must mind its business; India-US to come closer on defense: New US Charge D’Affaires

The new United States Charge D’Affaires to India, Elizabeth Jones, spoke to journalists on numerous pressing issues on Friday, including China's objection to the India-US military exercise in Uttarakhand, the US relationship with both India and Pakistan, the F-16 deal with Pakistan, and India buying oil from Russia. Making candid statements, Jones had little regard for China's objection to the joint exercise and said that it is none of their business, taking a clear stand in favour of India.

'None of China's business' 

"As our Indian friends have said (referring to the recent reaction by the Ministry of External Affairs)… it's none of their business," said Jones. 

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi a few days ago had said that the joint exercises have nothing to do with the 1993 and 1996 agreements with China. "Since these were raised by the Chinese side, let me emphasise that the Chinese side needs to reflect and think about its own breach of these agreements of 1993 and 1996," Bagchi said in a press briefing. It is pertinent to mention that the 1993 agreement with China is about maintaining peace along the LAC. 

'F-16 deal with Pakistan just for maintenance'

The Charge D’Affaires elaborated on the difference between the United States' relationships with India and with Pakistan, stating that the recent F-16 upgradation deal with Pakistan was just for maintenance and that this deal is signed with whoever has bought the fighter aircraft. 

She said, "The United States-India relationship and the United States-Pakistan relationship are separate from each other. We don’t look at one through the prism of the other. The F-16 deal with Pakistan was for maintenance and nothing else, that’s all. There’s no upgrade involved. We do it with whoever has bought the F-16s."

In September, the Joe Biden administration approved the F-16 upgradation deal for Pakistan after the US State Department argued that it would help Islamabad meet terror-related threats, which however much the US and Pakistan may want to pretend otherwise, is more than likely to be diverted towards Pakistan's other border, with India. In fact, the same F-16s had been used by Pakistan in a failed attack on India in 2019 after India's Balakot airstrike.

'Focused on PM Modi's Make In India initiative on defence'

Jones also hailed India's 'Make In India' on Defense manufacturing plan and asserted that the US companies are interested in it. She said, "We are focused on PM Modi's Make In India initiative on defence manufacturing. A lot of American companies are interested in it. We want India to become more capable in defence. We can be of help."

'Buying oil from Russia is India's sovereign decision'

Reacting to India purchasing oil from Russia, the US Charge D’Affaires called it India's sovereign decision, adding that it is Russia's strategy to increase its capacity further to fight the ongoing war with Ukraine. "Russia’s goal is to enhance its capacities to fight the war by increasing resources (by selling oil) and we would not want that, but India buying Russian oil is a sovereign decision," she affirmed.

This comes just two days after Elizabeth Jones called on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. During the meeting, the two sides discussed ongoing progress in bilateral cooperation. "Glad to receive US Cd'A Elizabeth Jones. Discussed the ongoing progress in our bilateral cooperation," Jaishankar said in a tweet.