As there seems to be no signs of de-escalation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) where India Army and the Chinese People’s Librations Army (PLA) are at eye-t-eye, the US is helping India fulfil its substantial security challenges.
Washington has agreed to sell advanced weapons system according to a senior US State Department official.
“At a time when India is facing substantial security challenges, the growth in our defence partnership is exceptionally important. This partnership includes defence sales, particularly our offers of advanced US weapon systems as a demonstration of our commitment to Indian security and sovereignty,” the official told reporters on Wednesday.
“We view India as an emerging global power that shares our vision of an Indo-Pacific region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous for all in pursuit of that goal,” the official said.
The last six years have seen a significant evolution in the corporation between India-US defence in the Indo-Pacific region. This relationship is now being tested now by China’s aggressive behaviour who is being hostile to practically all its neighbours and also against its own citizens.
“We know what a peaceful, open, successful and welcoming order looks like in the Indo-Pacific. And that’s something that we’re trying to advance in a scenario where the United States and India very much share a common objective, and evolution of our defence partnership is supporting and consistent with that,” the official said.
For the US, “the exercise of freedom of navigation of military and defence partnerships and cooperation with other states in the region is designed to reinforce the basic norms of peaceful solution of problems, resolution of disputes and a preservation of rule of law, freedom of navigation,” the official.
“The US-India defence relationship extends beyond arms transfers. Our partnership also includes our ongoing efforts to on defence industrial cooperation. Through the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative, the United States and India work together on co-production and co-development of defence equipment, most recently through a US-Indian senior defence official meeting on September 15,” the official said.
“Interoperability between our military services has reached unprecedented levels as demonstrated by the Tiger Triumph exercise last year, and the Indian Navy’s recent passage exercise with the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group in the Indian Ocean,” the official said.