The United States and India have a common interest in supporting freedom of navigation and “free, fair and reciprocal trade” as well as peaceful settlement of disputes in the Indo-Pacific, according to one of the senior defense officials, who spoke on behind the scenes to discuss sensitive bilateral conversations.
“To the extent that China or anyone else wants to undermine these principles or challenge these principles, it is part of how you build these relationships and build these networks to provide balance to this or stand up to it,” said the person.
Austin’s arrival in New Delhi marks the third stop on his first trip abroad as head of the Pentagon and comes after visits to Japan and South Korea for meetings with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Japanese and Korean colleagues. After his discussions with Modi, Austin will meet with India’s national security adviser, said the senior defense official. On Saturday, Austin will sit down with the ministers of defense and foreign affairs.
The United States has sought for years to strengthen its partnership with India through increased military cooperation, especially with the Indian Navy, and arms sales. But one obstacle may be India’s purchase of Russia’s advanced S-400 missile system. The United States has imposed sanctions on Turkey, NATO’s ally, for its own purchase of the S-400 under the American Anti-Opponents Act through Sanctions, but has not yet penalized India for the same acquisition.
The potential operation of the S-400 by India would pose a problem for the United States; the system was designed to detect and target advanced American fighters, such as the F-35.
The senior defense official declined to say whether the United States is considering sanctions on the S-400, but noted that the system has not yet been delivered to India, an event that would likely lead to penalties.
“Buying equipment from the US is not a condition for advancing cooperation, our advancing cooperation is based on a convergence of strategic interests,” said the senior defense officer, adding that buying equipment that can operate together ” it is certainly a means of being able to operationalize this partnership. “
Another senior defense official declined to comment on whether Austin would speak to Indian officials about Modi’s harsh treatment of India’s Muslim population, but said that “we routinely raise human rights issues”.
The goal in the Indo-Pacific is to build the bilateral “hub-and-spoke” relationships that exist between different countries into “more than one set of overlapping relationship networks” that can do a better job of sharing information and cooperating in military operations. , said the senior defense officer.
“It will be very different” from the NATO alliance, the person said. “It will look very unique; it’s going to be something that fits with the way the Indo-Pacific has evolved. “