A top American diplomat has urged the Indian government to release those political leaders who been detained without charge and said she was pleased to see some incremental steps being taken in the region.
Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Alice Wells, also described the visit by US ambassador and other foreign diplomats to Jammu and Kashmir as "a useful step".
“On Jammu and Kashmir, I was pleased to see some incremental steps, including the partial return of internet service in Kashmir,” she said.
“We also continue to urge the government to permit regular access by our diplomats, and to move swiftly to release those political leaders detained without charge,” Wells said.
She further said that India is moving away from having a passive foreign policy to the one vigorously advancing its interests, attributing the trend to New Delhi’s "broadening strategic horizons" over the past two decades.
“The visit also offered an opportunity to hear more regarding developments with India’s Citizenship Amendment Act, which is undergoing, I would say, a vigorous democratic scrutiny, whether it’s in streets, by the political opposition, media, or the courts. We continue to underscore the importance of the principle of equal protection under the law,” Wells said.
With continued progress on defense cooperation, peacekeeping operations, space, counterterrorism, trade, people-to-people initiatives, and more, she said the quality and frequency of India-US naval cooperation, especially the information sharing, have reached unprecedented levels.
The two countries also remain focused on achieving a trade deal that promotes fairness and reciprocity, she noted.
(With PTI Inputs)
