Former US National Security Advisor, Lieutenant General (Retired) HR McMaster, in his new book ‘At War with Ourselves’ has claimed that the Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ready for ‘unprecedented’ cooperation with the US due to China’s aggression. However, India also fears getting trapped in this cooperation and being abandoned by the US.
McMaster told in his book that when he visited India in 2017, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then Foreign Secretary and current Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He wrote that these meetings mainly discussed China’s aggression and the possibility of cooperation between India and America to deal with it.
McMaster’s book describes in detail his visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India on 14-17 April 2017. During this time he met the then Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, Ajit Doval and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. According to McMaster, Jaishankar and Doval mainly discussed China’s increasing aggression. He wrote, “Doval and Jaishankar said that we are seeing a tremendous opportunity to work together towards joint objectives.” He told that both the leaders had shown openness towards unexpected cooperation with America.
According to McMaster, Modi expressed concern about China’s growing aggression and increasing military presence in the region. Modi suggested the US, India, Japan and like-minded partners to emphasize the concept of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
On the last day of the visit, Modi gave McMaster a warm welcome and eventually hugged him. “Modi told me, ‘You have an aura, and you will do good for humanity,'” McMaster wrote. According to McMaster, Prime Minister Modi described deepening US-India relations as his top priority. He expressed concern over China’s growing military and economic influence. In addition, Modi suggested that the US, India, Japan and other like-minded countries should pursue the concept of a free and open Indo-Pacific, as opposed to China’s ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative.
McMaster also wrote that leadership of the Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War has led to hesitant behavior within India, especially with Russia, which is an important source of arms and oil for India. McMaster also shed light on the relationship between Prime Minister Modi and then US President Donald Trump. He said that during Modi’s first meeting with Trump, the two leaders met warmly and hugged each other.
” A few months later, on June 25-26, 2017, Trump hosted Modi at the White House. McMaster warned Trump that Modi was a hugger. Though Trump was not known for hugging, the hug was successful during the meeting. Modi was the first guest invited by the President and First Lady to dinner in the Blue Room.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)