Modi govt has put India as US' junior partner: Sitaram Yechury

Jaipur: CPI(M) on Saturday attacked the NDA government over its relations with the US, saying the Narendra Modi-led dispensation has established India as a junior partner of America at the global level which will have serious implications on our relations with China and Pakistan.

"Indo-US ties now give an impression that India is a junior partner of America. Due to this, India's image as a leader of developing countries has suffered a setback," CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury told reporters at a press conference here.

He also alleged that India's policies to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in various sectors was for the US companies "which will have serious implications on labourers".

Yechury slammed the Modi government over the joint Indo-US naval exercise "Malabar", held near South China sea in which Japan also participated, saying, "it gave wrong signals to our neighbours".

"It is like the US has given Jaagirdari of South Asia to India. This will have serious implications, be it our relations with China or to have a dialogue to resolve the

issues in Kashmir. The relations of Pakistan with the US are well known and this will have its impact on India's efforts in Kashmir," he said.

Asked about the present situation in Kashmir, Yechury said, the government did nothing.

"Under our pressure, the government agreed to send a delegation of parliamentarians to Kashmir. Dialogue is the only process to resolve the issue there, but the government is not taking any initiative on its own," he said.