China has “no business” objecting to joint Indo-US military exercise near the Line of Actual Control in Uttarakhand’s Auli, Charge d’Affaires at the US Embassy Elizabeth Jones said during an interview to a select group of editors.
“It is none of China’s business,” Jones said in the first official reaction from the US on China’s objections, a day after India too dismissed the comments saying it did not give a veto to third countries on these issues.
China had earlier this week said it was opposed to the joint Indo-US military exercises and claimed that it violated the spirit of the two border agreements signed between New Delhi and Beijing.
The 18th edition of the India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ is currently underway in Auli, about 100 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Jones, who was appointed to the position in October, said she was aware of the long wait time for US visa appointments in India and assured that the wait time will come down in the summer of 2023.
“We are aware of the long wait time for visas. There is a backlog because of the pandemic. We are working on it. The demand for visas in India is much higher than anywhere else. By summer, we should be fully staffed,” Jones said. She added that she is looking forward to India hosting the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in 2023.
Jones further said that US relations with India and Pakistan are completely separate. “One is not dependent on the other… international community has shared concerns on terrorism anywhere.”
Asked whether the US has raised issues of alleged religious persecutions in India, Jones said: “We perpetually talk to Indian colleagues about all issues. We discuss easy and difficult issues. Those we agree on and don’t. And that will continue.”
On India’s position vis-à-vis the Russia-Ukraine war, the US envoy said: “US and India agree on rules-based order. We are pleased to see how much assistance India has provided to Ukraine. We agree on the end goal but the way to get there we may not agree on.”
She added that India’s decision to import oil from Russia is a sovereign decision. “The goal of the policy is to reduce Russia’s oil revenues. Countries should take that into account. But that is a sovereign decision.”
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