U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III has disclosed his recent meeting with India's Minister of Defense, Rajnath Singh. The meeting aimed to discuss matters pertaining to the Indo-Pacific region, an area that the federal government has long identified as crucial for U.S. security and prosperity. The government seeks to promote both commercial and military opportunities for Americans and countries within this region.
"As the Major Defense Partnership between the United States and India continues to strengthen, I was glad to speak with my counterpart Minister Singh today to talk about how we're advancing a shared regional vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," said J. Austin III, according to X.
According to a DOD news release, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder elaborated on the support for a free and open Indo-Pacific region in relation to the meeting between Austin and Singh during a press briefing.
Llyod Austin tweet
| X
Ryder stated, "The two officials lauded progress on bilateral defense initiatives following the Fifth Annual U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in November 2023, including U.S. support for India's military modernization, initiatives to drive forward the U.S.-India Roadmap for Defense Industrial Cooperation, strengthening maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region, and India's support for the rule of law in the Arabian Sea and adjacent waterways."
In light of the Major Defense Partnership being crucial to supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific, Austin and Singh expressed their intention to meet in person soon, as per the news release.
Ryder further noted, "The two officials also applauded recent announcements accompanying the second India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit in New Delhi in February 2024." He added that "The Secretary highlighted the cutting-edge defense innovation propelled by the partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Indian Ministry of Defense's Innovations for Defense Excellence (iDEX)."
At the East Asian Summit in 2021, President Joe Biden expressed America's aspiration to lead in the Indo-Pacific region while adapting its role for contemporary times: "We envision an Indo-Pacific that is open, connected, prosperous, resilient and secure—and we are ready to work together with each of you to achieve it."
