India and the United States pledged to strengthen their strategic alliance by enhancing defence and security collaborations and expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region in response to China‘s growing military assertiveness on Friday.
Additionally, they unveiled intentions to collaborate on the joint production of an armoured infantry vehicle.
As reported by PTI, during the fifth annual ‘2+2’ ministerial dialogue, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and their American counterparts Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken discussed strategies to bolster India’s aspiration of becoming a key global center for defence manufacturing.
The dialogue also focused on collaborative efforts to advance cutting-edge technology to meet essential security requirements.
The discussions prominently featured the situation in the Middle East concerning the Hamas-Israel conflict, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, China‘s assertive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, and the broader challenges to regional security
During a media briefing, Austin highlighted that both parties engaged in discussions regarding the escalating security challenges presented by China. He emphasized that India and the United States share a mutual objective of promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“Today, we agreed to move forward with the co-production of armoured infantry vehicles. We also discussed steps that we can take to strengthen our supply chain security and integrate the provision of goods and services from US and Indian firms,” he said.
The US Defense Secretary mentioned ongoing initiatives to expedite the delivery of 31 MQ-9B drones to India. In bilateral discussions with Austin, Singh emphasized that the strategic partnership between India and the US is defined by mutual trust. He highlighted growing alignment on crucial matters such as countering China’s aggression, advocating for a free and open Indo-Pacific, and addressing regional security challenges.As per the joint statement from the ‘2+2’ dialogue, India and the US are establishing new liaison positions to ensure smooth communication and collaboration between their respective armed forces.
The discussions in the ‘2+2’ dialogue encompassed various topics, including counter-terrorism, and explored avenues for advancing cooperation in cutting-edge technologies like semiconductors and critical minerals.
In his televised opening remarks at the talks, Jaishankar said, “the dialogue is an opportunity to advance the vision of our respective leaders, building a forward-looking partnership while we construct a shared global agenda.”
Austin noted that it is more important than ever for the world’s two largest democracies to find common goals in the face of urgent global challenges.
“We’re integrating our industrial bases, strengthening our interoperability and sharing cutting-edge technology. The scope of our cooperation is vast, it stretches from the seabed to space,” Austin added.
The joint statement underscored the significance of a ‘Roadmap for Defence Industrial Cooperation’ in catalyzing the strengthening of defence relations between India and the US.
The statement also acknowledged the positive development of negotiations for a commercial agreement between General Electric (GE) Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the production of GE F-414 jet engines in India, a move that was appreciated by the ministers involved.
The statement said both sides recommitted to spurring investment in India’s growing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector, which encompasses aircraft maintenance and mid-voyage repair of US naval vessels.
“The two sides welcomed commitments from the US industry to further increase India’s MRO capabilities, including for the repair of aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles,” it said.
The ministers deliberated on events unfolding in various regions such as the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and Ukraine, expressing deep concern about the conflict in Ukraine and its humanitarian aftermath.
“Noting horrific terrorist attacks against Israel, the ministers reiterated that India and the United States stand with Israel against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including with regard to the protection of civilians,” it said.