A senior US State Department official has made the assertion that Arunachal Pradesh has been recognised by them as an integral part of India for the last six decades. The official declaration has come at a time when China is on a spree of inventing newer means to incite trouble across the LAC particularly after the Galwan face-off. But most significantly, it’s a major diplomatic gain for India given the fact that China has been stubbornly adhering to the claim that the whole of Arunachal is their integral territory, which they prefer to call as South Tibet. With direct dismissal by the US of this incomprehensible Chinese claim, the ongoing border tension with the hostile neighbour will be having a new dimension and the global diplomatic developments to follow after this are expected to weigh much in favour of India.

Not only it has been an emphatic statement regarding Arunachal, the State Department’s official who was responding to reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing UN General Assembly has also taken strong exception to the unilateral attempts made by China to undermine India’s territorial integrity by way of repeated incursions, military or civilian across the border or the LAC. This was exactly what India was seeking- a strong support from a heavyweight like the US in the face-to-face with mighty China. The principal reason for this support is quite easy to read. China and the US are in loggerheads over several issues and for neutralising the rising might of the former in South Asia, there is no way but to extend support through all-possible means to India. And it’s solely due to this compulsion, the US is adopting a policy of extensive military support to India through sophisticated arms sale and naval exercises. It’s also necessary to note that the statements have arrived just ahead of the Quad foreign ministers’ meet on October 6 next in Tokyo wherein the participants are the US, India, Japan and Australia. Besides talks on fostering multilateral partnership, it’s presumable that outlines are also going to be drawn in terms of Indo-Pacific strategies wherein the main agenda will be to thwart China’s rising dominance.

The US acknowledgment that China inculcates an aggressive, hostile and bullying behaviour against all its neighbours including India is a major diplomatic dividend. In the unending tussle with China that is only expected to take a huge proportion in future, this cooperation from the US will matter decisively in the long-run. With one major ally found, it’s time to assemble the others from across the globe.

If the game of cornering China sees entry of new nations, the Dragon will feel the sub-continental heat very soon.