US discusses defence ties with Rajnath, Doval

INDIA AND U.S. HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES POST-COVID AND AGREED TO WORK ON STABILITY IN THE INDO-PACIFIC

NEW DELHI: The new US administration began its formal contacts with India’s top leadership on Wednesday, with secretary of defence Lloyd Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan reaching out to their counterparts Rajnath Singh and Ajit Doval to discuss defence cooperation and stability in the Indo-pacific.

In an introductory telephone call from Austin to Singh, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to work together to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and the strategic partnership. They also discussed bilateral, regional and global issues, according to a readout from the defence ministry. India and US highlighted the need to collectively address challenges in the post-covid era and also agreed to work closely on key issues such as counterterrorism and stability in the Indo-pacific during the conversation between Doval and Sullivan, the external affairs ministry said. There was no official word on the conversations from the US government.

The telephone calls marked the first formal contacts between the new US administration headed by President Joe Biden and India’s top leadership. Biden is also expected to speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of his ongoing outreach to world leaders.

Singh had earlier congratulated Austin, the first Africanamerican secretary of defence, on his appointment. Modi spoke to Biden in November after his election victory and discussed shared priorities and concerns, including the pandemic, climate change and cooperation in the Indo-pacific. In his conversation with Sullivan, Doval said that as “leading democracies with an abiding faith in an open and inclusive world order, India and the US were uniquely positioned to work closely on regional and international issues”, including combating terrorism, maritime security, cyber-security and peace and stability in the Indopacific region and beyond, the external affairs ministry said.

The two NSAS agreed to work closely to advance India-us relations, “which are built on shared values and common strategic and security interests”, the external affairs ministry said. They also “highlighted the need to work collectively to address challenges in the postcovid era and further expand the comprehensive global strategic partnership” between the two sides.