Defense sources say that the head of the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), Admiral John C. Aquilino, and the head of the Indian Defense Staff, General Anil Chauhan, talked on video call about working together on defense and current security issues.
Both officials also talked about current defense cooperation and their long-term goals.
It was in December that the US sent cutting-edge military equipment to its partners in the Indo-Pacific to keep the peace and help India with its plans to modernize its military.
In a statement, the US Department of Defense said that it is helping allies and partners build up their powers in 2023, which it called a “decisive year.”
The release said, “Strengthening India’s plans for modernizing its military, including by moving forward with the priorities set out in the Roadmap for US-India Defense Industrial Cooperation.”
The US and India will work together to make fighter jet engines and armored trucks called Stryker. They will also start the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) to help US and Indian researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors work together.
A statement from the US Defense Department said, “The US is working with Indo-Pacific allies and partners in ways that strengthen peace and security across the region, such as by working together like never before.”
In it, it was said that India is expanding the areas it fights in the war. The release said, “India is expanding the range of its military activities by including strategic bombers and advanced fighter aircraft in our exercises. This improves our ability to work together and brings attention to our shared efforts to support stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.”
In its end-of-year information sheet, the Defense Department also talked about the US’s defense exercise MALABAR with India, Japan, and Australia.
This year, it was held for the first time in Australia. It provided high-level training in communications, air defense, and anti-submarine drills.
The press release said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) supports the inclusion of Women, Peace, and Security principles into regional security planning and operations through programs that build people’s skills and training courses. It also has an emerging leaders fellowship program for young civilian and defense leaders in the Indo-Pacific. This is one of many training courses that are held to keep the Indo-Pacific region safe.
“Investing more than USD 1.2 billion in security cooperation projects across the Indo-Pacific region, including one of the biggest US investments ever made to improve the capabilities and skills of Indo-Pacific partners, their knowledge of the maritime domain, and their ability to resist coercion,” the release said.
