India built ties with Russia out of necessity: Blinken

The U.S. was not in a position to do that earlier unlike now, where there is a growing strategic convergence with India, says the U.S. Secretary of State

Asserting that now there is a growing strategic convergence between the United States and India, Secretary of State Tony Blinken said New Delhi built its partnership with Moscow out of necessity as the US was not in a position to do that earlier.

"In the case of India, there is a relationship that goes back decades. And Russia, for India, was out of necessity a partner of choice when we were not in a position to be a partner," he told lawmakers on Wednesday.

"Now, we are investing in that effort. I think there is a growing strategic convergence between the United States and India," Mr. Blinken said.

"And of course, China is a big part of that," mr. Blinken said in response to a question from Senator William Hagerty during a Congressional hearing by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations.

Mr. Hagerty had sought Mr. Blinken’s views on the India-US relationship.

"What I see before us is something I'm certain that is very frustrating in the short-term when we have our differences and you deal with that every day," Mr. Hagerty said.

"But in the long-term, the strategic partnership that we have with India I think poses the opportunity to do more good in the 21st century," he said.