There’s no US army in India, as opposed to Germany and other EU countries.
Only colonies are obliged to follow empires interests. India is independent for quite a while and in this case does what it deems it’s best for it.
Only colonies are obliged to follow empires interests. India is independent for quite a while and in this case does what it deems it’s best for it.
Washington wants New Delhi for countering China. That’s a longer-term threat than Russia. If the U.S. Navy wanted to cripple India, it would do so by blockade. This energy insecurity is a well-known weakness of India’s; it’s not a coincidence that China has naval ports in Lahore and Sri Lanka. (It’s also why you don’t see Washington lighting up about India’s coal. A coal-burning India is less sensitive to e.g. the PLA Navy disrupting its seaborne crude imports.)
For a cleaner illustration of this trade-off, see Washington twiddling its thumbs while gazing into the distance while Ottawa and New Delhi duke it out.
It is an open, yet officially unstated, policy of the Indian government since the 1950s that the USSR/Russia must never be put in a position wherein it fully tilts towards China.
India, China and Russia are the three powers on the Asian continent. A 2v1 situation would be catastrophic for India. Sensible people in power in the West may not agree with the India, but they understand this. Arm chair generals on social media and those writing for Western media outlets do not.
There's a lot of nuance to geopolitics, clearly!
India is also a massive importer of energy. 30% above the price cap is still cheaper than market.
On dividing Beijing and Moscow, I think the ship has sailed. Russia is increasingly dependent on China. The leadership in Moscow is beholden to Xi in a way that has no historic comparison. If China initiated military action against India, Russia is no longer in a position to say no.
I don’t want to oversimplify things, and yet: how did that come about?
For dysfunctional or undemocratic nations, it's different.
Now the Philippines are inviting the US military back to deter Chinese aggression.
There's a reason despite the US military routinely asking congress to close down local bases and consolidate buildings to decrease costs that congress never lets them. That's money their district no longer gets!
You can search for more years if you're inclined.