India is a self-proclaimed "great power", but on the international stage, its behavior is often ridiculed. Recently, a new scandal has erupted in India, that is, in the process of purchasing French "Rafale" fighters, it refused to pay the final payment in dollars or euros in accordance with the provisions of the contract, and demanded that the settlement be made in Indian rupees.
This move not only violated international practice, but also made the French side very angry. And the United States, as India's "ally", stood up and spoke for India at this time, and even wanted to take the opportunity to sell its own F-35 fighter jets in an attempt to profit from it. However, is the United States really doing this to help India?
The Rafale fighter procurement case between India and France can be said to be a long and tortuous negotiation. Back in 2007, India began a 10-year tender process, culminating in an $8.6 billion deal with France in 2016 for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighters.
Under the agreement, India will need to make an initial payment of $3 billion, and then pay the remaining $5.6 billion in installments during the delivery of the fighter jets. The agreement also clearly stipulates that the currency of payment must be the US dollar or the euro, which is a common practice in international arms trade, and is also to avoid the risk of exchange rate fluctuations.
However, at the beginning of 2023, India suddenly put forward a new demand, which is to pay the final payment in Indian rupees. India's reasoning is that the Indian economy has been hit hard due to the impact of the pandemic, and the Indian rupee has sharply exchanged rates against the US dollar and the euro, and India will have to pay about $1 billion more if the original agreement is followed.
Therefore, India believes that it is fair and reasonable to pay in Indian rupees. India also threatened that if France did not agree to such an approach, it would freeze the repayment account until a new agreement was reached.
India's move is undoubtedly a breach of contract and an irresponsible act. When India signs an agreement, it should take into account the risk of exchange rates, rather than renege on it and try to change the content of the contract at its own will. India's actions have not only harmed France's interests, but also damaged India's own credibility and made the international community doubt India's reliability.
India's violation should have been condemned by the international community, but at this time, the United States stood up and spoke for India, and even wanted to take the opportunity to sell its own F-35 fighter in an attempt to profit from it.
The U.S. justified that India is an important U.S. strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region, and that the U.S. supports India in improving its own defense capabilities to counter threats from China. The United States also said that India has the right to choose the payment method as it sees fit, and that France should respect India's sovereignty and not impose its will on India.
The United States also hinted that if France is unwilling to continue with the agreement, then the United States could provide India with more advanced F-35 fighters to replace Rafale fighters. This move by the United States seems to be aimed at helping India, but in fact it has its own selfish motives and goals.
The real purpose of the United States is to use India as a pawn to contain China's rise, and at the same time, it also wants to attack France's competitiveness in the field of arms trade and expand its own market share. The reason why the United States sells the F-35 fighter is not because it really cares about India's security, but because the F-35 fighter is a strategic ** of the United States, which not only has strong combat power, but also has strong control.
Through the F-35 fighter, the United States can monitor and intervene in India's military operations, and even cut off India's fighter system at a critical moment, making India a puppet of the United States. By doing so, the United States has sent India into a "trap" and made India lose its sovereignty and dignity.
China is a responsible power and a country that abides by international rules. China has no intention of interfering or intervening in the Rafale fighter procurement case from India and France, but is only looking at the incident objectively as a bystander.
China believes that India's violation is an immoral act and an irrational act. India should respect the spirit of the contract and pay the balance in the agreed manner, instead of trying to make a small deal to the detriment of others and itself. China also believes that the United States' strong support is an act of dishonesty and unfriendliness.
The United States should respect the principles of international law, refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, and refrain from taking advantage of other countries' predicaments to pursue its own selfish interests. China also believes that the relationship between India and the United States should not be built on the basis of confrontation with China, but on the basis of mutual benefit and reciprocity, and should not do anything that harms regional peace and stability.
As a country of peaceful development, China will not change its national defense policy because of the Rafale fighter jet procurement case between India and France, nor will it feel any jealousy or fear of the cooperation between India and France. China believes that common security and development can only be achieved through dialogue and cooperation. China is willing to establish a relationship of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence with India and France, as well as with other countries, to jointly safeguard the international order and world peace.
The purchase of Rafale fighters by India and France is an incident that has attracted international attention, and it involves issues in international arms trade, international law, international relations, and many other aspects. India's violations not only harmed France's interests, but also affected India's image and put India in an embarrassing situation.
The strong support of the United States not only undermined France's confidence, but also exposed the conspiracy of the United States, made the United States lose trust, and put India in a "trap". China's attitude and behavior not only reflect China's rationality, but also show China's magnanimity, which has won China's respect and allowed China to maintain a "high profile".