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The Shangri-La Dialogue, held annually in Singapore, is Asia’s premier defence summit. He told delegates that our relationship with India right now is as good or better than it was before.
Defense Secretary Lloyd J Austin on Saturday said the US-India relationship is based on a common vision and common values and the momentum in the relationship is not only going to continue but will accelerate. Austin’s remarks came when he responded to a delegate’s question about bilateral ties at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defence summit held annually in Singapore. “Right now our relationship with India is as good or better than it has ever been,” he told the delegates.
“We are co-producing armoured vehicles with India,” he said. He said there has been good progress on the project. The US-India relationship is based on a common vision and common values. “So, I believe the momentum we are seeing will not only continue but will accelerate at one point. In his address on the Indo-Pacific, Austin said that together with our friends in the region, we are breaking down national barriers and better integrating our defence industry. He assured that the US will continue to play an important role in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographical region that comprises the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam claim parts of it. The US, India and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China’s growing military assertiveness in the resource-rich region. Austin also told delegates that the US defence industry was being integrated with regional countries, including Japan.
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