The Hindustan Times, The Hindu and other media reported that U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on the 20th, focusing on joint responses to the threat from mainland China, adding that working together with like-minded partners The two men also said that working together with like-minded partners is “the only way to stop any aggression.
According to reports, the two men agreed to further deepen defense cooperation after holding talks on the 20th. Austin said the U.S. defense partnership with India will “continue to grow” in the coming years due to the increasing activity of mainland China in the South China Sea, stressing that it is working with India, Australia and Japan to ensure that the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open. Asked about India’s alleged “aggression” against mainland China on the Ladakh border, Austin said working with like-minded partners is “the only way to stop any aggression.
Singh noted that the talks focused on “expanding military engagement between the two countries,” saying India has agreed to strengthen cooperation with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Central Command and Africa Command, and discussed cross-service military exchanges, information sharing, cooperation in emerging defense areas and mutual logistical support. Singh also mentioned that he hopes U.S. industry will take advantage of India’s open foreign direct investment (FDI) policy to invest more in India’s defense sector.
After arriving in New Delhi, India, Austin has met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Singh, and will later meet with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
The United States designated India as a “key defense partner” in 2016 and signed a series of agreements to facilitate the transfer of advanced weapons and further military cooperation. However, AFP noted that India’s 2018 announcement of the purchase of Russian S-400 air defense missile systems, which could be targeted by the Countering America’s Adversaries with Sanctions Act (CAATSA), is an issue that needs to be carefully addressed by both sides.
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