NEW DELHI – Top defense officials from India and the United States pledged Saturday to expand their military engagement, underscoring the strengthening defense ties between two countries concerned over China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met in New Delhi and agreed to deepen defense cooperation, intelligence sharing and logistics.
“India is an increasingly important partner in rapidly shifting international dynamics. I reaffirm our commitment to a comprehensive forward-looking defense partnership with India as a central pillar of our approach to the Indo-Pacific region,” Austin said.
Austin is making the first visit to India by a top member of President Joe Biden’s administration. His visit follows a meeting last week between leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the United States, which together make up the four Indo-Pacific nations known as the Quad.
The Quad is seen as a counterweight to China, which critics say is flexing its military muscle in the South China Sea, East China Sea and Taiwan Strait and along its northern border with India.
China has called the Quad an attempt to contain its ambitions.
Austin’s Indian counterpart, Singh, said the talks were focused on “expanding military-to-military engagement.”
“We are determined to realize the full potential of comprehensive global strategic partnership,” Singh said.
Austin arrived in New Delhi on Friday and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi “outlined his vision for the strategic partnership between the two countries and emphasized the important role of bilateral defense cooperation in India-U.S. ties.”
Before the talks on Saturday, Austin visited the National War Memorial and was accorded a ceremonial guard of honor.
The timing of Austin’s visit, which follows talks between high-ranking U.S. and Chinese officials in Alaska amid a bitter exchange of words, signals the importance Biden places on New Delhi as a security ally.
The U.S. and India have steadily ramped up their military relationship in recent years.
