"Never trust America. In the future, it will try to crush India … …”
△ Screenshot of social media of Indian netizens
On the recent social media platform, it is almost normal for the Indian people to comment on India-US relations like the above.
After taking office in January this year, what has the new American administration done to make this "important partner" so untenable?
This starts with the "stuck neck" of the United States in vaccine raw materials … …
"Stuck" on the issue of vaccines
According to data from the Indian Ministry of Health, the country’s newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours as of 8: 00 am on the 26 th have set a new national record for five consecutive days, and once again set a new record of new cases in a single country in the world; At the same time, the number of deaths on that day also reached a new high in India since the outbreak.
△ 25th local time, where will you go, outside a hospital in the Indian capital.
Previously, in response to the worsening epidemic situation in China, Adal Punavara, CEO of the Indian Serum Research Institute, used social media to "implore" US President Biden to lift the ban on India’s export of vaccine raw materials in order to increase India’s vaccine production.
△ Punavara social media screenshot
It turns out that in order to ensure that vaccine manufacturers such as Pfizer in the United States can get enough raw materials to achieve all-weather production, Biden invoked the National Defense Production Act at the beginning of his tenure to prohibit the United States from exporting key raw materials for vaccine production. Even when the vaccination rate and reserves of the United States have been ahead of the world, the Biden administration has been slow to "let go".
For the United States, the Indian media simply dismissed it as "vaccine mafia behavior."
△ India zeenews News Network report screenshot
The indifference of the United States has angered the Indian people. According to Indian media reports, the anti-American and anti-Western sentiment of Indian netizens on social media platforms has continued to rise recently.
△ "Times of India" report screenshot
Some people accuse the United States of ingratitude: "Remember hydroxychloroquine? When Trump raised the demand last year, India immediately lent a helping hand, although the Indian people were not enough. 1.3 billion Indians will remember who stood by when they needed help. "
△ Screenshot of social media of Indian netizens
Perhaps facing too much pressure, the White House finally said on the 25th that it would provide India with much-needed medical resources. But at this time, India’s vaccine raw materials have been cut off for several months, and the domestic epidemic has deteriorated to an unprecedented level. At present, the Indian side has not responded to this. I wonder to what extent this gesture of "sending an umbrella after snow" by the United States can calm India’s anger.
"Stabbing a knife" in regional security
Not long ago, another thing the United States did also angered India.
Earlier this month, the destroyer USS john paul jones, while crossing the Persian Gulf to the Straits of Malacca, forcibly entered the Laksha Islands in the exclusive economic zone of India for so-called "free navigation".
What makes India even more dissatisfied is that the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet also issued a statement publicly declaring that this action has not been approved by India.
△ US destroyer john paul jones
In this regard, The Times of India wrote in the first sentence of its report: "There are rare differences between India and the United States on the rapidly developing defense relations between the two countries."
△ "Times of India" report screenshot
In view of the close defense relationship between India and the United States, this incident is obviously extraordinary. Afterwards, the Indian government expressed "concern", which triggered ridicule and dissatisfaction from Indian public opinion, and regarded it as a manifestation of "weakness" towards the United States.
Many Indians believe that the United States "can’t believe that they will stab India in the back."
△ Screenshot of social media of Indian netizens
"Throw a face" in economic and trade cooperation
I am afraid that the more lasting pressure from the United States on India is still in the economic and trade field.
As early as June 5, 2019, the Trump administration at that time terminated the GSP treatment for India for decades on the grounds that the US trade deficit with India was too large, which brought a new blow to India, where the economic growth rate slowed down significantly and the unemployment rate hit a new high.
△ US President Trump (left) and Indian Prime Minister Modi (data map)
On the 26th of last month, the Office of the US Trade Representative announced that the trade investigation on India and other six countries related to the digital service tax in Article 301 had entered the next stage, and the possibility of imposing punitive tariffs on these countries was not ruled out. Indian media said that the United States may impose retaliatory tariffs of up to 25% on Indian products.
△ "India Tribune" report screenshot
In addition, 11 economies, including India, are still on the US exchange rate policy monitoring list.
… …
The "new hatred and old hatred" of the piles has made Indians feel sad and angry.
The Times of India once quoted the questions of netizens in the country: "Restrict the export of vaccine raw materials, label India as a currency manipulator, enter Indian waters without saying hello, and publish a negative report on human rights and minority rights in India … … This is what allies do? ！”
In this regard, Wang Shida, deputy director of the South Asia Institute of China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, pointed out that in recent years, the United States has stepped up its efforts to win over India to implement the so-called "Indo-Pacific strategy" and attempted to extend its power to the Indian Ocean region step by step, but in the process it has never regarded India as the only "partner" that the United States relies on in South Asia. In fact, the differences between India and the United States in many fields make it difficult for the two sides to become true allies.
Wang Shida:"On the one hand, the United States wants to use India to promote its so-called ‘ Indo-Pacific strategy ’ ; But on the other hand, the starting point of American foreign policy is always to safeguard America’s own interests and global hegemony. How long can the cooperation between the United States and India last? There has been some reflection in India. Therefore, India has distanced itself from the United States to some extent, and at the same time it has also taken quite strong precautions against the United States. "
Planning Wang Jian
Written by Shan Lijuan
Editor Yan Ming Yao Yanxia Wei Yu
Review Zheng Lei Wang Jian
Producer Guan Juanjuan
关于作者