WASHINGTON: US has made India a strategic partner against China as it haddeclared Pakistan a strategic partner against Russia in the Afghan war.
It was a cold war era and today again it’s a new cold war era.Indialink> has become an arms dumping groundfor US link> . Containing China is asimportant as was containing Russia through Pakistan.
India link> is the ‘biggest strategicopportunity’ for the US link> with NewDelhi showing more openness to strengthen bilateral security ties, a topPentagon commander has said, underlining a mutual desire for globalstability and support for the rules-based international order, PTI hasreported.
Admiral Harry Harris told Senate Armed Services committee, that the Quad,comprising India link> , USlink> , Japan and Australia – is animportant idea of like-minded nations that can go after the challenges inthe Indo Pacific region.
In his prepared testimony, Harris said the USlink> and Indialink> are natural partners on a range ofpolitical, economic, and security issues.
‘I think India link> is the biggeststrategic opportunity for the US link> . Weshare democratic values, we share the same concerns, and we operate morefrequently in the Indo-Pacific region together,’ Harris said.
He said with a mutual desire for global stability and support for therules-based international order, the USlink> and Indialink> have an increasing convergence ofinterests, including maritime security and domain awareness,counter-piracy, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and coordinatedresponses to natural disasters and transnational threats.
Noting that India link> will be amongthe US link> ‘ most significant partners inthe years to come due to its growing influence and expanding military,Harris said as a new generation of political leaders emerge, Indialink> has shown that it is more open tostrengthening security ties with the USlink> and adjusting its historic policy ofnon-alignment to address common strategic interests.
Harris’ comments came amid China flexing muscles in the East and SouthChina seas.
The US link> has been sending its navywarships in the disputed South China Sea as part of its ‘freedom ofnavigation’ operation, which evoked strong protests from China .
Harris said the US link> seeks an enduring,regular, routine and institutionalised strategic partnership with Indialink> and the Pacific Command identifiesa security relationship with India link> asa major command line-of-effort.
Over the past year, US link> and Indianmilitaries participated together in three major exercises, executed morethan 50 other military exchanges, and operationalized the 2016 LogisticsExchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA).
He said defence sales are at an all-time high with Indialink> operating US-sourced airframes,such as P-8s, C-130Js, C-17s, AH-64s, and CH-47s, and M777 howitzers.
The Pacific Command, he said, will sustain the momentum of the strategicrelationship generated by the President-Prime Minister-level meeting andthe emerging 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue through strengthening theirmilitary-to-military relationship and working toward additional enablingagreements to enhance interoperability.
‘At the moment, India link> isconsidering a number of US link>systems forpurchase, all of which Pacific Command fully supports: the F-16 for Indialink> ‘s large single-engine, multi-rolefighter acquisition program; the F/A-18E for Indialink> ‘s multi-engine, carried-basedfighter purchase; a reorder of 12-15 P-8Is; a potential purchase ofSeaGuardian UAS; MH-60R multi-role sea-based helicopter; and F-35 JointStrike Fighter,’ Harris said.
Responding to a question on Quad from Senator Tim Kaine, who was the 2016Democratic vice-presidential nominee, he said ‘I think the Quad is animportant construct of like-minded nations that can go after the challengesthat are in the Indo-Pacific region. So that’s Japan, the United States,Australia, and India link> …The Quadis an idea. It’s not rigid. It is not exclusive.’
‘I think the Quad is an idea, and it’s an important idea that I think thecountries are starting to get their arms around, including theUSlink> . But Indialink> presents a great opportunity forus, and I think we present a great opportunity forIndialink> ,’ Harris said. – PTI