In what augurs well for Indian diplomatic campaign to bring world focus on Chinese aggressive and expansionist agenda, a new bipartisan US Senate resolution has reaffirmed that the state of Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India, and condemned China for the use of military force to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Three powerful US senators from both sides of the political divide introduced this resolution in the Senate on 16 February. Significantly, the resolution has also backed multiple initiatives by India to meet the Chinese challenges. The resolution of this kind holds importance as it is bipartisan in nature. In fact, both of the major political parties, Republicans and Democrats, are in agreement of the resolution. That the resolution, apart from condemning China’s military action along the LAC, lauds India for taking steps to defend itself against Chinese aggression is another important point that New Delhi can describe as a diplomatic triumph. In fact, Indian diplomats have been, from time to time, briefing the world community including the US on not only the unlawful activities of China along the borders but also on India’s actions to counter the Chinese agenda. The resolution backing India’s action against Chinese assertive and expansionist activities is a strong message to Beijing as well. India’s campaign at the global platforms against China is also part of Delhi’s comprehensive strategy to deal with the challenges from Beijing. Obviously, the US Senators have approved and endorsed this strategy as well.
The resolution has a powerful message for the entire global community as well, as it is a rare bipartisan signal of clear-cut support to India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity amid Chinese conspiracy to try to unilaterally alter the status quo at the LAC. The message is also for Pakistan which hobnobs with its all-weather friend China to create one problem or the other for India. Normally, the US government keeps reaffirming recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. But the resolution goes beyond that by calling out Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control, and endorsing measures adopted by India to counter China. No doubt, the US Congress had passed a resolution after the Galwan incident in 2020 in which China was condemned for incursions and aggression. But what makes this resolution different is that this is for the first time a resolution endorsing India’s position and action against the Chinese agenda has been tabled. What makes this resolution absolutely unprecedented and unique is that it has incorporated the details of aggressive actions by China, like the release of a map by Beijing, assigning names in Mandarin to human settlements, mountain peaks and passes, and rivers in Arunachal Pradesh. In what has come as a welcome move, the resolution has said that China’s claims over Arunachal Pradesh is part of its increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies. The resolution calling out the PLA’s aggressive and provocative moves is also something that New Delhi sees as a significant mention. Apart from the China factor, there is another reason why the bipartisan resolution in the US is important for India. It is important also because it underlines the growing support for India among the political class in the US, despite New Delhi continuing to buy oil from Russia amid voices of protests from the western quarters including Washington. If the resolution is passed in the US Congress, then it would be described as a big diplomatic triumph of India. Many experts see the development as something paving the way for much deeper and closer India-US ties in various spheres. As the resolution reflects the views and agreement of both the Republican and the Democrat senators on support to India against the Chinese agenda, New Delhi can expect more cooperation and better security partnership with Washington in the mission to deal with challenges from Beijing. Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley from Oregon and Republican Senator Bill Hagerty from Tennessee collaborated on the Senate resolution which affirms the United States’ recognition of Arunachal Pradesh, an Indian state, as an integral part of the Republic of India. This resolution is in response to the recent clash between India and China along the Line of Actual Control in the Eastern Sector, which has been the most significant conflict in six years. India’s diplomatic campaign to galvanise global opinion against the Chinese agenda would get a stronger push after this resolution.