U.S. Pressure on India Forces New Delhi to Reassess Its Options

India's foreign policy will continue to permit it to attract cooperation from all other major powers.by John P.

RuehlThe United States' approach to India since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis has reignited India's historical grievances toward Washington. But outreach by other major powers--such as Russia and China--to New Delhi illustrates India's growing clout in international affairs.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, the White House has attempted to rally support for sanctions against Russia and isolate it diplomatically. While the Biden administration had little hope that India would adhere to imposing these sanctions, New Delhi has openly explored ways to circumvent them and has also refrained from condemning Russia at the United Nations.

table " " 0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto class="tr-caption" Modi's WayBut India has trodden carefully, refusing to show any support for the Russian invasion and, instead, has been calling for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict. In addition to not wanting to offend Ukraine, a country that India also has good relations with, New Delhi does not want to be seen as endorsing Russia's actions or straying from India's traditional foreign policy of nonalignment.

Nonetheless, India's balanced approach has provoked the ire of Washington. The United States has attempted to frame the Ukraine conflict as one between a united front of democratic states against an isolated authoritarian Russia.

New Delhi's cautious, sustained cooperation with Moscow has undermined this portrayal, alongside China's diplomatic assistance to Russia and Russia's broader support across the Global South.On April 11, U.

S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized India over human rights violations by government functionaries in a joint press briefing with U.

S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

The comments drew immediate criticism in Indian political and social circles, particularly as there was no warning from U.S.

officials that the issue would be discussed.Blinken's remarks follow increasing criticism in the West in the last few years over India's perceived democratic backsliding under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who came to power in 2014. Doing so has accentuated animosity among many of Modi's supporters toward the historical role of the West in India over the last few...