Finalizing the Military Industry Cooperation Roadmap, Intended for China and Russia? US Defense Minister Visits India | US Defense Minister Visits India

According to foreign media reports, on June 5th local time, during the visit of US Secretary of Defense Austin to India, the two countries have developed a roadmap for defense industry cooperation in the coming years. The public opinion believes that the US government is strengthening its defense partnership with India, freeing India from its dependence on Russia in defense and achieving the goal of balancing China in the Asia Pacific region.

Strengthening India's "Defense Manufacturing Ambition"

From June 4th to 5th local time, Austin departed for India after concluding the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore. This is his second visit to India since March 2021. During the visit, Austin met with Indian Defense Minister Singh and finalized a roadmap for defense industry cooperation between the two countries in the coming years.

In response, the US Department of Defense issued a statement stating that this move aims to change the "paradigm" of cooperation between the defense departments of the two countries, and will accelerate technological cooperation and joint production in the fields of "air combat, land mobility systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, ammunition, and seabed".

The roadmap also includes specific recommendations that can enable India to acquire cutting-edge technology. Austin and Singh promised to review regulatory barriers that hinder closer cooperation between their industries. Both sides also discussed cooperation in space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence.

The Indian Ministry of Defense has also issued a statement stating that the talks between the two defense ministers will focus on ways to strengthen cooperation in the defense industry. The two sides will seek opportunities to jointly develop new technologies, produce existing and new equipment, and promote cooperation between defense startups in the two countries.

Analysis suggests that Austin's visit will lay the foundation for Indian Prime Minister Modi's state visit to the United States on June 22. It is reported that US India defense cooperation may be one of the focuses of Modi's visit.

Defense analyst Rahul Bedi said that India is seeking to purchase 18 high-altitude, long endurance armed drones from General Atomic Aviation Systems of the United States, estimated to be worth between $1.5 billion and $2 billion. These drones may be deployed in the border areas between India, China, and Pakistan, as well as in the strategically important Indian Ocean region.

According to Indian media reports, the United States and India are also discussing allowing General Electric to manufacture jet engines for fighter jets in India. Both sides are still discussing the joint production of infantry tanks, howitzers, and precision ammunition.

Reuters reported that the US and India have reached a roadmap for military industry cooperation, which is expected to strengthen New Delhi's "defense manufacturing ambitions". In recent years, India has been striving to diversify its arms and hopes that global arms dealers can cooperate with Indian manufacturers to produce weapons and military equipment locally in India for domestic needs and export.

Intended for China and Russia?

The public opinion believes that the fundamental purpose of the United States to deepen its relationship with India and strengthen its military and technological ties with India is still to counter China and Russia.

On the one hand, the United States is seeking to rid India of its military dependence on Russia.

India is the world's largest importer of weapons, and although it has been increasingly purchasing weapons from countries such as the United States, France, and Israel in recent years, weapons and equipment from Russia still dominate.

However, in recent years, the defense trade volume between the United States and India has been growing rapidly, from almost zero in 2008 to over $20 billion in 2020. The main weapons purchased by India from the United States include long-range anti submarine aircraft, C-130 transport planes, missiles, and drones.

On the other hand, the United States still remembers China in India and advocates for the "Indo Pacific strategy" and the "China threat". Reuters reported that the United States has seen India as a key force in balancing China in the Asia Pacific region.

After meeting with Singh, Austin claimed that the reason why US India cooperation is important is because "we are facing a rapidly changing world" and need to deal with "bullying and coercion from China, as well as Russia's aggression against Ukraine.". He also stated that the US India partnership is rapidly developing and is the cornerstone of the so-called free and open Indo Pacific region.

Since the beginning of this month, Austin has taken the opportunity to attend the Shangri La Dialogue to visit the Indo Pacific region for the seventh time since taking office. During his consecutive visits to Japan, Singapore, and India, he constantly advocated for the Indo Pacific strategy, openly stating the need to strengthen military deployment, develop defense cooperation, increase military exercises, and invest a large amount of strategic and military resources in the region.

However, analysis suggests that the United States uses beautiful words such as "prosperity" and "peace" to fabricate a beautiful vision, which cannot conceal the Cold War mentality and hegemonic logic behind the "Indo Pacific strategy".

On June 4th, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu criticized at the Shangri La Dialogue that some Western countries have proposed the "Indo Pacific strategy" with the intention of using ideological lines and so-called hypothetical threats to build exclusive military alliances. He warned that foreign powers promoting the "NATO ization" of the Asia Pacific, kidnapping regional countries, and rendering conflicts and confrontations will only lead the Asia Pacific into a vortex of tearing, disputes, and conflicts.

Regional countries are also unwilling to take sides between China and the United States. The website of the bimonthly issue of Foreign Policy in the United States recently published an article pointing out that many regional countries do not agree with the perceived "China threat" of the United States, nor do they agree with the overly simplistic view that the United States divides the world into "authoritarian" and "democratic" countries. No matter how hard Washington tries, policies aimed at forcing countries to take sides will fail.