The Chief of Defence Staff of India, General Anil Chauhan, engaged in a video call with Admiral John C. Aquilino, the head of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), to discuss mutual defense collaboration and current security challenges.
Notably, in December of the previous year, the United States deployed advanced military capabilities to its allies in the Indo-Pacific to maintain deterrence and support India’s defense modernization plans.
Referring to 2023 as a pivotal year, the US Department of Defence expressed its commitment to aiding allies and partners in enhancing their capabilities. The official release highlighted the support for India’s defense modernization plans, including collaboration on fighter jet engines and Stryker armored vehicles under the US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation. Additionally, the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) was initiated to foster partnerships among researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors from both countries.
The release from the US Defence Department underscored the collaboration with Indo-Pacific allies to strengthen peace and security in the region. It acknowledged India’s efforts in modernizing military engagements, incorporating advanced fighter aircraft and strategic bombers in exercises to promote interoperability and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.
The year-end fact sheet from the Defence Department highlighted the MALABAR exercise, involving the US, India, Japan, and Australia. This exercise, hosted in Australia for the first time, focused on high-end training in anti-submarine exercises, communications, and air defense.
The release also pointed out the involvement of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in capacity-building programs and training courses. These initiatives aim to integrate Women, Peace, and Security principles into regional security planning and operations, along with a fellowship program for young civilian and defense leaders in the Indo-Pacific.
Furthermore, the US committed over USD 1.2 billion in security cooperation initiatives across the Indo-Pacific region, representing one of the largest investments in history. This funding aims to enhance the capability and capacity of Indo-Pacific partners, bolster maritime domain awareness, and increase resilience against coercion.
(Inputs from ANI)