The United States has said that India remains an important strategic partner for them, and the relationship between India and US is expected to remain unchanged. In a press conference held on Monday, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller hailed the bilateral ties shared among the two allies while responding to a question on the India-US relationship in the context of some reports, articles, and opinion pieces published that were critical of the Indian government. 

During a press conference, the State Department Spokesperson, responding to a question on alleged “concerns about democratic backsliding in India” and the recent statements by the State Department regarding the alleged “crackdown on opposition,”  said, “India is the world’s largest democracy. It is an important strategic partner of the United States, and I expect that to remain true.”

It is pertinent to note that the statement by the US State Department Spokesperson came after some unease was reported in areas of the India-US bilateral relationship. The Khalistan movement and the recent statement by the State Department on the issue of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have put the ties shared by two nations under turbulence. India objected strongly to the comments from the State Department.

“We take strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India. In diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others. This responsibility is even more so in the case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents. India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary that is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.