US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has emphasized the importance of India as the world’s largest democracy and a crucial strategic partner of the United States. This statement comes amid recent criticism of the Indian government ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing concerns about alleged “democratic backsliding in India,” Miller stated, “India is the world’s largest democracy, it is an important strategic partner of the United States, and I expect that to remain true.” This reaffirms the strong bilateral relationship between the two nations.
In January, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the benefits of his policies and programs for the people and allied countries. However, tensions arose when the US State Department expressed monitoring of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case related to an excise policy scam.
India reacted strongly to the US State Department’s comments, stating, “We take strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India.” The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized the importance of respecting the sovereignty and internal affairs of fellow democracies.
The MEA defended India’s legal processes, stating, “India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted.” This response underscores India’s commitment to maintaining its democratic values and independence in legal matters.
