US calls India ‘all-weather’ friend, for closer defence ties

US has said that the upcoming 2+2 ministerial will focus on operationalising the “major defence partner” designation for India, which will go beyond mere defence acquisition and trade. Calling India an “allweather partner”, Alice Wells, head of the South and Central Asia bureau at the state department, said, “We look ahead to how to ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains free and open.”

“What we’re looking for at the upcoming 2+2 ministerial is to discuss how do we operationalise India’s status as a major defence partner,” Wells said on Monday at a news briefing to preview her upcoming visit to Hanoi for the Indian Ocean Conference.

“Our partnership is really rooted in values and shared democratic values and a commitment to a rules-based order,” she added. Indian defence and foreign ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Sushma Swaraj are scheduled to host their American counterparts James Mattis and Mike Pompeo at the inaugural 2+2 ministerial

on September 6 in New Delhi. Wells said officials will discuss “how (to) take this partnership to a new level so that it’s not just going to be defence acquisitions but a way of framing how we see challenges and how we want to be able to respond together to

address these challenges.”

“It is an important opportunity to discuss and enhance our engagement on a range of diplomatic and security priorities and really is an indication of the deepening strategic partnership that we enjoy with India,” she said.