Careful” of Chinese Actions in the China Sea

New Delhi: The US is “cautious” about Chinese activities along India’s northern border as it cannot lose sight of regional security issues. A senior US official said this in the backdrop of the more than 29-month-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh on Wednesday. US Defense Attaché in New Delhi, Rear Admiral Michelle L Baker, also said it was important to be “attentive” to Chinese actions in the South China Sea as well. He described the India-US defense relationship as a “cornerstone” of the overall bilateral relationship. He told a small group of reporters, “This is definitely an important area for us. We will be cautious.”

Rear Admiral Baker said, “We work closely with India to exchange our views on this area to make sure we have a clear understanding of what’s going on and I think it’s a There is such a place, which is for both India and America. Be careful with the times. We cannot take our eyes off regional security issues.” His remarks came when he was asked whether the US was monitoring developments on India’s border with China and how the US views the ongoing conflict in the coming months.

The senior defense official also said that the US wants to be the “partner of choice for India” and New Delhi has the ability to choose its partner. He was asked about India’s decades-old defense ties with Russia, including projects related to nuclear-powered submarines. Rear Admiral Baker said, “We want to be the partner of choice for India. India has the ability to choose its partners and has made a conscious decision to diversify more over the past decade. It has taken a conscious decision to continue diversification going forward. And it has made a conscious decision to partner with the US in many areas.”

Responding to another question on China’s growing military might in the South China Sea, Rear Admiral Baker said it was important to assist countries across the region with the option of choosing security partners. A senior US defense official said, “They have a very aggressive stance in the South China Sea. America has a clear public position on this as well. This is something that we need to be careful and cautious about.” He said that countries in this region can partner with anyone like India or America or both. “It is important to ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains free and open, which is a mutual goal for both India and the US,” he said.

Responding to another question on the successful launch of a ballistic missile by India’s nuclear-powered submarine last month, he said the country has done it “responsibly”. Asked whether the US was helping India to stop China, he did not give a direct answer, but said India has an “incredibly bright future” as it has “great topography and high mountains”. which are important from the point of view of security.