U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Beigun, who is visiting India, told a forum on Monday (Oct. 12) that in order to maintain a free and open order in the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. strategic relationship needs to reflect the geopolitical realities of today and tomorrow. In response to China, Washington wants to strengthen India’s capabilities and its interests in the Indo-Pacific region. He also argued that the United States and India are being overly cautious in developing strategic ties, which should not be limited to the framework of bilateral and quadrilateral talks.
Addressing the India-U.S. Forum, Under Secretary of State Beegan, who is on a three-day visit to New Delhi beginning Monday, said the U.S. relationship with many global allies, particularly NATO, Japan and Australia, has evolved to reflect post-Cold War geopolitical realities and continues to adapt to new threats.
He said, “The security partnerships that the United States and our partners are exploring today do not necessarily follow the model of the mutual defense pacts of the last century, in which large numbers of U.S. troops were deployed in one country. Today, we benefit from close ties with countries like India, which share our vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and seek to provide for their own defense. In this case, the United States would certainly benefit from a strong and prosperous India.”
The State Department’s No. 2 said that as the U.S. assesses how its interests and those of India intersect, it has seen the conditions for an organic and deeper partnership – “not an alliance based on a post-war model, but a fundamental alignment on shared security and geopolitical objectives, common interests, and shared values.”
He said the United States is exploring ways to empower India without changing New Delhi’s tradition of “strategic autonomy.
“India has a strong and proud tradition of strategic autonomy, and we respect that. We do not seek to change India’s traditions. Rather, we want to explore ways to enhance their capabilities and India’s ability to defend its sovereignty and democracy and advance its interests in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Beegan.
According to Beegan, there is tremendous opportunity in the U.S.-India strategic partnership. He said Washington has increased its military sales to India and intelligence sharing with India and can do more, “including strengthening India’s ability to defend itself and promoting interoperability between our two militaries.”
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Beegan’s remarks about respecting India’s strategic autonomy were seen as an attempt to assuage India’s concerns about establishing direct strategic alliances with other countries in order to avoid upsetting China.
In his remarks, Began referred to China as “the elephant in the room,” an English idiom for a major topic that is on everyone’s mind but not on their lips. He also referred to the four-party talks that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held with the foreign ministers of India, Australia, and Japan in Tokyo on October 2.
He said he strongly agreed with former Indian Ambassador to China Ashok Kantha that India is “too cautious” in developing strategic ties with the United States and other countries in the Quartet, always considering how China will react. Kantha argues that India’s relationship with the United States helps India deal with China, especially in the face of the widening capability gap between India and China.
According to Beegan, the U.S. and India can do much more, both bilaterally and through the framework of the Quadrilateral Talks, including increased regular contacts between diplomatic, defense, and technical officials at all levels and cooperation in many other areas, including trade, investment, people-to-people contacts, and so on.
China denounced the Quartet as an attempt to contain China’s development and urged the United States to abandon its “Cold War mentality.
But Biegun said the Quartet has no intention of becoming an exclusive organization.
“The Quartet is a partnership driven by common interests, not binding obligations, and is not intended to be an exclusive organization. Any country that seeks a free and open Indo-Pacific and is willing to do something about it is welcome to work with us,” Beegan said.
He added that cooperation between the U.S. and India need not be limited to a bilateral or quadrilateral model, but could extend to broader areas of mutual interest and cooperation with other like-minded partners, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Other examples include partnerships between our development finance companies to help catalyze the nearly $25 trillion in energy and infrastructure funding needed in the Indo-Pacific region over the next decade. In Southeast Asia, the Quad partners can deepen their engagement with ASEAN, cooperate in defending freedom of the seas, and work together on governance, health, environmental protection, water conservation, and transparent data sharing, especially as it relates to the Mekong River,” said Beegan.
Beegan’s visit to India will lay the groundwork for a 2+2 dialogue between the U.S. and Indian foreign and defense ministers later this year.
India and China are locked in a military standoff along their disputed border as the United States strengthens its strategic partnership with India. In June of this year, at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash. Since then, both sides have mobilized thousands of troops, raising fears of a broader conflict in the region.
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