Washington DC, Sept. 2 -- Asserting that the US cannot confront China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific alone, former US adviser Mary Kissel emphasised India's critical role in the partnership with the United States, noting that Washington does need New Delhi's support to counter Beijing's growing influence in the region.

During an interview with Fox News, Kissel, who served as a senior adviser to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, highlighted the necessity of a strong India-US partnership amid economic tensions between the two nations, particularly due to Washington's imposition of a 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports, which included an additional 25 per cent due to New Delhi's purchase of Russian crude oil.

"If we are real...