The shipment of 31 MQ-9A Sea Guardian and Sky Guardian drones to India by the U.S. government has been postponed, contingent on New Delhi undertaking a ‘meaningful investigation’ into the alleged plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, as reported by media on Wednesday.
The planned $3 billion acquisition involves 15 Sea Guardian drones designated for the Indian Navy, with the Indian Air Force and Army slated to receive eight Sky Guardian drones each.
Meanwhile, U.S. Congress has approved the 'tiered review' process for the sale of 31 MQ9B drones to India, and the official Congressional notification is expected to be submitted within the next 24 hours on Thursday, media reports.
Examining America's Consistent Double Standard in Pursuit of its Interests
Against this backdrop, Ash Narain Roy, Director of the Institute of Social Science stated that “unlike India's longstanding ties with Russia, the U.S. has exhibited some reluctance, particularly after the 2005 nuclear agreement and various subsequent events.”
Speaking about Indian involvement in addressing certain Khalistan militants the expert stated “The US has been notably vocal, exerting considerable pressure on India and there have been calls for India to re-evaluate its ties with Canada, with expectations for responses to specific inquiries. When considering all these factors collectively, it becomes apparent why this issue has surfaced”.
This kind of double standard, according to the expert, “is not unexpected, and it reflects a common approach that many Western countries have taken towards developing nations, including India, within the Global South”.
“America consistently adopts a double standard, especially concerning its interests. When their interests are at stake, they adhere to a particular set of values, treating developing countries such as India based on various criteria. While such behaviour isn't surprising and has occurred repeatedly, whether in dealing with issues such as the Taliban, the expectation seems to be that everyone should align with their perspectives”, Roy noted.
The expert stated that a significant number of individuals from Punjab have been actively involved in Canada, which, given Canada's closeness to the United States, appears to have repercussions in the US context.
While Americans portray themselves as champions of counterterrorism, their stance, especially when juxtaposed with India's characterization of Pannun as a 'terrorist,' underscores a pattern of American hypocrisy, a practice observed in the past” said the expert.
“India must exercise caution given U.S.'s standard approach in handling relations with other nations,” Roy concluded.