The US has ruled out any kind of treaty alliance with India, saying the 21st century is not an era of alliances and a mutual agreeable concept of major defence partner is a very apt description for India.


"21st century is not an era of alliances. It is an era of identifying interest, common values and working together in solving all those problems. I do not think that anyone in the United States Government or the Indian Government has any compulsion at all to form a treaty alliance," said Peter Lavoy, Senior Director for South Asia at the National Security Council (NSC), White House.


He was responding to a question at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a top American think-tank. "Why have that shackle (of being a treaty alliance). I think, the friends that benefit from that are probably satisfactory. I would highlight a phrase that should not be underestimates '" Major Defence Partner (with India)," he said.