Dismissing considerations over the well being of democracy in India underneath Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the White Home on Monday mentioned India is a vibrant democracy and anyone who occurs to go to New Delhi can see that for themselves. John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications on the Nationwide Safety Council within the White Home, additionally pressured that the US administration by no means shies away from “expressing considerations that we’d have with anybody around the globe.”
“You are able to do that with associates; you’re supposed to do this with associates,” the White Home official mentioned.
Prime Minister Modi will probably be on a state go to to the US later this month. US President Joe Biden and First Girl Jill Biden will host Prime Minister Modi for the official state go to, which is able to embody a state dinner, on June 22, 2023.
When requested concerning the purpose behind the invitation for the state dinner, Kirby underlined that India is a powerful companion with the USA on many ranges.
“You noticed that in Shangri-La Secretary (of Protection, Lloyd) Austin introduced some extra protection cooperation now that we will pursue with India. In fact, there’s an terrible lot of financial commerce between our two nations. India is a member of the Pacific Quad and a key buddy and companion with respect to Indo-Pacific safety,” he mentioned.
“I might go on and on and on. There are innumerable the explanation why India definitely issues, not simply bilaterally between the 2 of our nations, however multilaterally on very many ranges. And the president is wanting ahead very a lot to having Prime Minister Modi right here to speak about all these points and to advance and deepen that partnership and that friendship,” Kirby added.
When the reporter pressed if the Biden administration is “in any respect involved concerning the well being of democracy in India,” Kirby replied: “India is a vibrant democracy. Anyone that, you recognize, occurs to go to New Delhi can see that for themselves. And positively, I’d count on that the power and well being of democratic establishments will probably be a part of the dialogue.”
“And, look, we by no means draw back — and you are able to do that with associates; you’re supposed to do this with associates — you by no means draw back from expressing considerations that we’d have with anybody around the globe. However this go to is de facto about advancing what’s now and what we hope will probably be a deeper, stronger partnership and friendship going ahead.”