In the wake of China unilaterally renaming 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, the United States (US) has reiterated its long-standing position — of recognising the state as a part of Indian territory and opposing unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims.
Asked about the China’s move at a White House press briefing on Tuesday, the White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “The United States has recognised that territory for a long time. And we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities. And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by.”
The American position dates back to 1962 and has been consistently reiterated by successive administrations since. But with the tensions along the India-China border escalating, there has been a renewed support for India’s claims. Earlier this year, two powerful senators introduced a bipartisan resolution reaffirming that the Senate too recognised Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.
The White House also welcomed ambassador Eric Garcetti’s imminent departure for India. After the longest period of not having an ambassador in New Delhi in the history of the relationship, the Senate finally confirmed Garcetti’s nomination in mid-March.
Vice president Kamala Harris swore-in the envoy, who has been meeting different stakeholders, both in the US government and outside, as he prepares for his assignment.
{{/usCountry}}Vice president Kamala Harris swore-in the envoy, who has been meeting different stakeholders, both in the US government and outside, as he prepares for his assignment.
{{/usCountry}}Garcetti, a former mayor of Los Angeles, hasn’t made any public remarks yet and is expected to do so after presenting his credentials to the President Droupadi Murmu, after arriving in Delhi.
When asked what was the presidential message Garcetti was carrying, Karine Jean-Pierre said that the relationship with India is one of the “most consequential” relationships the US has in the world.
“Ambassador Garcetti will be leading an ambitious effort to deepen our cooperation with India in critical and emerging technologies, expand our defence cooperation, and strengthen our economic and people-to-people ties”. Having Garcetti in office in Delhi is expected to help with the intense diplomatic calendar that lies ahead in terms of high level engagements between the two countries this summer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden are expected to meet four times — on Hiroshima on the sidelines of the G7 summit and in Sydney during the Quad leaders’ level summit in May, in Washington, when Modi pays his first state visit to the American capital in June, and in New Delhi when Biden visits India for the G 20 summit in September.