United States and India officials hold extensive dialogue on enhancing defense ties
United States’ Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl and Indian Defense Secretary Ajay Kumar co-chaired the 16th U.S.-India Defense Policy Group.
During the session, the U.S. and Indian officials exchanged views on regional issues of mutual concern and interest, including South Asia, Afghanistan, and the Indian Ocean Region.
Both sides also held extensive dialogue on enhancing defense ties between the United States and India. The dialogue advanced an ambitious set of bilateral priorities on:
- Information-sharing between the U.S. and India;
- High-end maritime cooperation;
- Cooperation on logistics of the armed forces of two countries; and
- Defense trade between the U.S. and India.
According to Department of Defense Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Anton T. Semelroth, “the leaders reinforced their commitment to deepening joint cooperation and interoperability between the U.S. and Indian militaries to work more seamlessly together, including strengthening cooperation in new defense domains, such as space and cyber.”
The officials from both sides also explored ways to strengthen the existing bilateral maritime security cooperation between the U.S. and India and discussed opportunities to engage regional partners to achieve common objectives.
The 16th U.S.-India Defense Policy Group also laid the groundwork for an important 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue later this year, as the United States and India open a new chapter in the Major Defense Partnership, the Department of Defense spokesperson stated.
The U.S. has been pushing for a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific to advance common interests and deter emerging threats from China’s military expansion in the region.
The U.S. and India, both consider China’s claim over South China Sea as unlawful, and its military development in the region as a threat, and urged for a “free, open and inclusive” Indo-Pacific region.
In recent years, the Quad members (U.S., India, Japan and Australia) have intensified efforts to strengthen cooperation and rally like-minded regional countries to support the alliance to contain China in the region.
