India, US Working To Increase Depth And Scope Of Military Engagement With 2+2 Talks

New Delhi/Washington, April 12 : Increasing the depth and scope of their military engagement, including in defence co-production and participating in more joint exercises, and working together to ensure an open, free and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, formed a major part of the fourth 2+2 talks between India and the US on Monday. During the joint press conference addressed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and their US counterparts Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh said that the two sides also discussed deeper cooperation in space and cyber space, and of India joining the Bahrain multilateral combined force exercises – the naval drills held between the US, Bahrain, the UAE and Israel, that were held for the first time last year in the Red Sea. Rajnath Singh said the two sides also discussed the need for maintaining peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region and the Indo-Pacific, and the issue of terrorism being used as a means of statecraft — an oblique reference to Pakistan. They also discussed increasing the scope of collaboration of their military logistics and US companies were invited to participate in India’s defence and aerospace programmes as part of the Make for the World programme, he said. “US defence companies were asked to participate in the UP and Tamil Nadu defence corridors” he said, adding both sides agreed to strengthen their strategic engagement and to make the global commons accessible and maintain peace and stability. The two sides also inked a Space Situational Awareness Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony at the Department of State. Austin said that US and India have built the most consequential defence partnership and they were collaborating in emerging defence domains, including space and cyber space. He said the Space Situational Awareness agreement would allow for more information sharing between them. In 2020, during the third 2+2 dialogue, the two sides had inked the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for geo-spatial cooperation. Austin said the US supports India as a net security provider in the region. “China is seeking to refashion the region and the international system in ways that supports its interests and we have agreed to cooperate more closely in the Indo Pacific including through combined maritime exercises,” he said. He said they have agreed to reinforce their partnerships with like minded countries, including Japan and Australia, and to strengthen the Quad humanitarian and defence mechanism to ensure it is better prepared for crises. “The US and India are linked by more than common interest, to ensure that the Indo Pacific stays on the path of freedom, of law of the seas, and of sovereignty of states.” On Ukraine, he said the two have open channels of communication on issues, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and it is important to stand together to defend our shared values. To a question, he said that President Biden truly values the strong alliance and partnership ties with India, and the issue of values is central to our relationship. Austin said that the US is working closely on a range of priorities to support India as a net security provider in the region.