The External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the nations are not just working together on global issues, but are also dedicated to the wellbeing of the global commons that provides the basis for coordinated action.
The State Department said the defense collaboration between the US and India reached new heights, including information sharing, liaison officers, and increasingly complex exercises like Malabar.
The US supports India’s emergence as a leading global power.
The USA on Tuesday said it is in support of India’s rise as a top global power and an authorized partner in efforts to safeguard that the planned Indo-Pacific is a section of harmony, stability, and growing successful economic enclosure, as America’s top envoy arrived in Delhi on his first official stay.
The defense collaboration between the USA and India reached new heights, including information sharing, liaison officers, and progressively complex exercises such as Malabar.
Through his maiden visit to India as the top American diplomat, Blinken will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to discuss a wide range of issues, including continued cooperation on COVID-19 response efforts, Indo-Pacific engagement, shared regional security interests, shared democratic values, and addressing the climate crisis.
Through the USA-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative, the United States and India work collectively on the production and development of defense equipment. The USA and India are also closely coordinating on regional security issues, such as Afghanistan.
The two countries collaborate on an extensive range of diplomatic, economic, and security matters, comprising defense, non-proliferation, regional cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, shared democratic values, counter-terrorism, climate change, health, energy, trade and investment, peacekeeping the environment, etc.
India, the USA, and several other world powers have been speaking about the need to ensure a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s rising military plotting in the province.
The Chinese military is also vigorously eying the tactical Indian Ocean region to step up Beijing’s authority.
India, Australia, Japan, and the US shaped the lengthy-pending plan of establishing the ‘Quad’ or the Quadrilateral alliance to counteract China’s violent behavior in the Indo-Pacific province.
The USA and India signed an accord, making India a full partner in the governance and funding of the Fulbright Programme.
An increase in exchanges under the contract has allowed for new and innovative programs, and India now has the most prominent Fulbright Scholar (faculty) program globally.
In FY 2019, this funding provided opportunities for 61 US Scholars, 66 Indian Scholars, 80 US students, including 29 English Teaching Assistants, and 55 Indian students, including 13 Foreign Language Teaching Assistants.
India and the US sharing converging views on global issues
India and the US have converging views and are on parallel paths to significant global challenges such as fighting the pandemic, climate change, and the fight against terror, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said.
Speaking at the India Ideas Summit organized by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), he said India is a major defense partner of the US, and the commitment of the Quad to maritime security remains firm.
“On many of the big disputes of the day — terrorism, pandemics and climate change — our thinking is along parallel paths.
We not only work together on global issues but are dedicated to the wellbeing of the global commons, and that provides the basis for coordinated action,” Jaishankar said.
Speaking extensively on the Quad, the minister said that several areas of cooperation have emerged, including the pressing challenge of the pandemic.
“The most pressing challenge – that of Covid – has been met through a Quad initiative which taps into the strengths of each of the participants,” he said.
On climate change, he added that action was being coordinated, among other measures, through the US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership.
“The relevance of advanced technologies is captured by Quad initiatives ranging from AI, 5G and beyond to critical minerals, space and blockchain,” he said.
The minister said that the nations are not just working together on global issues but are also dedicated to the wellbeing of the global commons that provides the basis for coordinated action.
“When it comes to defence and security, the benefits of India being a Major Defence Partner of the US are becoming evident.”
