Top US official says some actions by India inconsistent with democratic values
Washington, June 13: India remains the world's largest democracy with a strong rule of law but some of the Indian government's actions, including restrictions on freedom of expression, have raised concerns that are inconsistent with the country's democratic values, a top US official has told lawmakers.
Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Dean Thompson's remarks came during a Congressional hearing on Democracy in the Indo-Pacific on Wednesday at the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia and Nonproliferation.
"India remains the world's largest democracy with a strong rule of law and independent judiciary and enjoys a strong and growing strategic partnership with the United States," Thompson said.
"However, some of the Indian government's actions have raised concerns that are inconsistent with India's democratic values, he added.
"This
includes
increasing
restrictions
on
freedom
of
expression
and
the
detention
of
human
rights
activists
and
journalists,"
he
said.
Thompson
said
the
US
regularly
engages
in
and
on
these
issues,
including
the
important
work
of
civil
society.
India has previously rejected criticism by foreign governments and human rights groups on allegations that civil liberties have eroded in the country.
The government has asserted that India has well established democratic practices and robust institutions to safeguard the rights of all.
India sees 80,834 new Covid-19 cases, 3,303 more deaths in past 24 hours
The government has emphasised that the Indian Constitution provides for adequate safeguards under various statutes for ensuring the protection of human rights.
Responding to a question from lawmakers, Thompson said the US has been concerned in Pakistan and Bangladesh about some of the restrictions on journalists that have been there.
"Similarly,
at
times,
that
has
happened
in
India;
though,
I
think,
India,
we
can
say,
has
a
very
vibrant
press
overall
that
reports
very
freely
on
its
government,"
he
said.
Congresswoman
Chrissy
Houlahan,
who
represents
a
Congressional
district
from
Pennsylvania,
raised
the
issue
of
Kashmir
during
the
Congressional
hearing.
"Although
of
course,
they're
two
great
democracies,
democracies
including
ours
and
India's
are
not
without
their
flaws
and
problems.
I
do
have
a
pretty
big
(number
of)
Kashmiris
in
my
community
and
there
is,
of
course,
concern
about
the
treatment
of
the
Kashmiri
people,"
she
said.
"What is the dialogue that is ongoing between the administration and the Indian government on these human rights issues broadly, if you could share a little bit there?" she asked.
Thompson
said
that
the
Biden
administration
routinely
raises
issues
related
to
a
vast
array
of
rights
and
democratic
issues
with
India.
"Kashmir
is
one
area
where
we
have
urged
them
to
return
to
normalcy
as
quickly
as
possible,
including
we've
seen
some
steps
taken:
The
release
of
prisoners,
the
restoration
of
4G
access,
things
of
that
nature.
There
are
other
electoral
steps
we'd
like
to
see
them
take
and
that
we
have
encouraged
them
to
do
and
will
continue
to
do
so,"
Thompson
said.
Congressman Steve Chabot said that by many accounts, the US and India, as the world's two largest democracies, are uniquely poised to join forces in promoting democratic values in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
"And I'm assuming that this administration would agree with that. If so, what initiatives does this administration intend to pursue to take advantage of that unique relationship between the US and India as the two largest democracies?" he asked.
"We are, right now, through our global comprehensive strategic partnership with India looking at areas where we can work together to strengthen across the region the effects of the ability of countries to push back on malign influence and through the Quad initiative where we brought in Japan and Australia, as well," Thompson replied.
Initiated
in
2007,
the
Quadrilateral
Security
Dialogue
or
Quad
is
an
informal
grouping
of
the
US,
India,
Australia
and
Japan.
The
Quad
member
countries
have
resolved
to
uphold
a
rules-based
international
order
in
the
Indo-Pacific
amid
growing
Chinese
assertiveness
in
the
region.
"The US has a tremendous opportunity to work together with four like-minded countries, all democracies, that are looking at ways we can help deliver tremendous relief in the wake of COVID-19," Thompson said.
"They can look at how we set standards and work together on critical technologies and diversifying supply chains. And finally can fight climate change and work on improving the environmental situation across the region, he said.
Congresswoman Houlahan said the United States and India, the world's two largest democracies, are uniquely placed to join forces in promoting a democratic system and democratic values in the Indo-Pacific region, specifically, and probably beyond.
The
United
States,
Mr
Thompson
said,
has
a
global
comprehensive
strategic
partnership
with
India.
The
US
is
looking
at
ways
to
both
strengthen
India's
ability
to
be
a
positive
player
and
influencer
throughout
the
region,
including
the
Quad.
The Quad relationship is extremely important because of the ASEAN centrality and the vast regional reach that it has for us to be able to bring these kinds of democratic ideals across the board, he said.
Our ability to leverage each other's assistance programmes and complement one another where relationships may be stronger between us in a country versus India in a country or vice versa, there's a great, leveraging opportunity there, said the State Department official.
"As is the case around the world, the Chinese government uses a combination of economic levers and soft power to pressure South Asian countries to align with its interests, and smaller countries are especially vulnerable to this pressure," Mr Thomson said.