India not obliged to scratch US' back: China Daily editorial

What constitutes a basis for a country to be criticized by the United States for being an unreliable member of its club? Not joining its sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis is one.

At least that was the reason US President Joe Biden pointed the finger at India on Monday, identifying it as the only member of the Quad which was "somewhat shaky" in acting against Russia.

Given that White House officials had issued warnings to New Delhi on multiple occasions for refusing to form a "united front" with the US and its regional allies targeting Russia, Biden's statement represents Washington's deep disappointment that the "largest democracy" on Earth is proving to be a fair-weather member of the US' value-club.

The neutral stance New Delhi has taken on Ukraine reflects its own situation and considerations — its sound relations with Moscow date back to the Soviet Union era and Russia remains a major security and energy partner of India.

In contrast, the other Quad members have been happy to toe the US line. Japan has historical animosity toward Russia, while Australia slavishly follows the US lead, as shown by its dumping an already signed submarine contract with France at the US' bidding.

The hopes the US administration had that India would serve as another brick in its "united front" against Russia have proved misplaced, as to allow itself to be cemented to the West in that way would harm India's core interests and violate its long-term principle of diplomatic independence.

That explains why on Monday and Tuesday during her respective meeting with the Indian foreign secretary and Indian media outlets, US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland took the initiative to offer India a Plan B on both security and energy fronts to relieve its dependence on Russia for weapons and oil, promising the US can help India to find new energy providers and sources of arms.

As a matter of fact, many of the US' allies, such as those in the Middle East, refuse to join its sanctions against Russia, as they are well aware of the nature of the Ukraine crisis as a proxy war the US has orchestrated to weaken Russia and tighten its grip on Europe, which Washington has viewed as showing signs of having ideas above its station.

They are not oblivious to the fact that it is the US that is ceaselessly sowing discord everywhere it can — between the European Union and Russia, Russia and India, India and China, China and the EU, China and African countries, China and the Southeast Asian countries, and China and Russia.

On the Ukraine crisis, the US claims India and other countries are making a choice between "good and evil", but it is a choice between acting right by supporting a peaceful solution to the crisis and doing wrong by joining the US in aggravating the conflict.