We see India as a global leader: US

The Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, David Ranz said that the United States sees India as a global leader.

In an exclusive statement given to ANI, Ranz said, "We see India as a global leader. And as a global leader, we welcome India's broader engagement beyond its region. That is one of the reasons why we are enthusiastic about the trilateral and quadrilateral collaboration with India, Japan, and Australia, because we see those as good opportunities for coordinating policy, particularly in the Indo-Pacific."

Supporting support India's emergence as a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific, Ranz stated that US' coordination with India is extensive and it is growing.

When quizzed about the crisis which ensued in the south-Asian nations of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State said, "Specifically on Sri Lanka and Maldives, we have closely coordinated with the Indian government. I have personally been in close touch with my Indian counterparts both here and in New Delhi. So we have been very careful to make sure that we are aligned in how we approach these issues."

Earlier this week, the US had welcomed "reinvigorating" ties between India and the Maldives, underscoring the convergence of India's and the USA's views on the Maldives' "critical role in the security of the Indo-Pacific".

Ranz further stated that it is difficult to be on the same page with the allies 100 per cent, however, when it comes to being vocal in the region against China, the US is closely aligned with India.

"With any partner, and this includes the UK, France, Australia, we are never going to be 100 per cent aligned. The ideal situation is that you share your views and coordinate and take each other's views into consideration in making your own policy. If you can reach a consensus on how to approach things and work closely together, that's great. If you disagree in certain ways, then you figure out a way to reconcile those disagreements. But on these issues, we were very closely aligned with India and work very closely with them," Ranz asserted.