US Defence Secretary speaks to Rajnath Singh, pledges to 'work collaboratively'

A day after US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke for the first time with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Pentagon said that the Joe Biden administration is going to remain committed to a strong bilateral relationship with India. On January 28, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said that Lloyd made it very clear that the United States is going to “remain committed to a strong US-India bilateral relationship”. Kirby also added that the two leaders had “a good chat” and discussed several issues, including the two nations’ response to the coronavirus. 

During their maiden call, Lloyd has pledged to work collaboratively with India to sustain the progress in the bilateral defence relationship. He even emphasised the Department’s commitment to the US-India Major Defence Partnership, observing that it is built upon shared values and a common interest in ensuring the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open. It is worth noting that the Indo-US defence ties have been on an upswing in the last few years and the two countries have also inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years. 

Kirby said, “Secretary Austin noted the great strides made in the US-India defence relationship, and he pledged to work collaboratively with the Defence Minister to sustain progress”. 

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‘Uniquely positioned to work closely’ 

Meanwhile, India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval held a telephonic discussion with his US counterpart Jake Sullivan on January 27, where the two committed to working closely in the coming years. NSA Doval conveyed his best wishes to Sullivan on his appointment as National Security Adviser to President Biden. According to a press release, NSA Doval underscored how India and the US, as leading democracies, are uniquely positioned to work closely on regional and global issues, including terrorism, maritime security, cybersecurity, and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. 

Sullivan stated that the US was looking forward to working with India on tackling global challenges and issues of bilateral concern. The two officials also agreed to develop ways to advance US-India relations under the leadership of PM Modi and President Biden. The two NSAs also highlighted the importance of working together in the post-COVID era in order to collectively address challenges posed by the deadly pandemic for both countries. 

(With inputs from PTI) 

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