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With Eye on China, India and US Pledge Deeper Strategic Partnership

Anjana Pasricha

   NEW DELHI - India and the United States have pledged to work together
   to deepen their strategic partnership during a visit by U.S. Defense
   Secretary Lloyd Austin to New Delhi.
   The first visit by a top official of the Biden administration to the
   Indian capital comes as Washington moves ahead to form an alliance of
   countries that can act as a counterweight to Beijing and India embraces
   closer ties with the U.S. amid its own growing concerns about Chinese
   assertiveness.
   The two countries agreed to deepen defense cooperation, intelligence
   sharing and logistics at a meeting Saturday between Austin and his
   Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh.
   Austin called the Indo-U.S. relationship a "stronghold of a free and
   open Indo-Pacific region."
   "India, in particular, is an increasingly important partner among
   today's rapidly shifting international dynamics," the U.S. defense
   secretary said after his discussions with Singh. "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."
   He said the two had discussed opportunities to elevate the U.S.-India
   major defense partnership, which he called "a priority" of the
   Biden-Harris administration. "And we'll do that through regional
   security cooperation and military to military interactions and defense
   trade."
   Indian Defense Minister Singh said the talks had focused on expanding
   military-to-military engagement. "We are determined to realize the full
   potential of comprehensive global strategic partnership," he said. He
   also urged U.S. industry to invest in India's defense sector.
   Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) interacts with Indian
   Defense Minister Rajnath Singh during a joint media briefing in New
   Delhi, March 20, 2021.

   Austin's visit to New Delhi comes a week after the leaders of the
   United States, India, Australia and Japan pledged to work together in
   the face of challenges from China at the first summit meeting of the
   grouping known as the Quad.
   India is strategically situated in the Indo-Pacific region, which is
   emerging as an area of concern for countries worried about China's
   assertiveness. Last November, New Delhi hosted joint naval drills
   between the four Quad countries in the Indian Ocean.
   In New Delhi, a nine-month-long military standoff with China in the
   Himalayas sparked by deadly clashes last June along their disputed
   border has heightened tensions with its Asian neighbor. Although the
   two have pulled back troops, the deep strain in ties with China has
   prompted New Delhi to accelerate the pace of strengthening ties with
   the United States and other Quad partners.
   Austin also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Following the
   meeting, the Indian leader said on Twitter that "India and U.S. are
   committed to our strategic partnership that is a force for global
   good."
   Prior to his India visit, Austin had visited Japan and South Korea, two
   of America's most important allies in the Asia-Pacific region.
   Analysts in New Delhi say Austin's stop in India is significant.
   "It underscores that the Biden administration is continuing to focus on
   China," according to Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, a distinguished
   fellow at New Delhi's Observer Research Foundation. "And the fact that
   India is part of his first overseas visit means that New Delhi is an
   important element in the web of security partnerships that the Biden
   administration will be looking to nurture in this part of the world."