While addressing a press conference after his talks with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Austin termed US-India partnership as the "cornerstone" of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met each othe in New Delhi on Monday and discussed Indo-Pacific, and cooperation in specific niche technologies in maritime, military and aerospace domains.
In a press conference, held after the meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi, Austin said, "We see bullying and coercion from the People's Republic of China, Russian aggression against Ukraine that seeks to redraw borders by force and threatens national sovereignty, as well
The United States is not trying to establish the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the Indo-Pacific region, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said on Monday adding that the nation will continue to work with like-minded countries to ensure that the region remains free and open.<
Rajnath Singh and Lloyd Austin concluded a roadmap for US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation which shall guide the policy direction for the next few years.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called the partnership between India and the US "critical" for ensuring a "free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region."
The US Defence Secretary, who arrived in India a day ago on a two day long visit earlier today inspected the Tri-Services Guard of Honour in the presence of Defence Minister at the Manekshaw Centre in the national capital.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Security Summit in Singapore, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin warned that the conflict in Taiwan Strait would be a devastating one, criticising China for its actions in the region.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a meeting with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin and German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius next week, according to the Ministry of Defence press release.