India now a major defence partner for the US as it gangs up on China

The U.S. recognises India as “a major defence partner” as it prepares for a confrontation with China. The special status gives India access to military technology but it comes with a caveat that India must not buy arms from Russia.

    At the diplomatic and military levels New Delhi and Washington have got into a tighter embrace since President Joe Biden assumed office in the United States. For all practical purposes, India has now become a de facto military ally of the U.S. as it prepares for a confrontation with a rising China. One of the most important virtual meetings Biden attended since his inauguration was the one with leaders of the Quadrilateral Alliance (Quad) in the second week of March.

     The Quad consists of the U.S., India, Japan and Australia. During his visit to New Delhi in the week after the Quad meeting, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin highlighted the growing defence and strategic ties between India and the U.S. Austin’s visit to India was the first by a senior member of the Biden administration. He told the media that the U.S. viewed India “as a central figure in our approach to the Indo-Pacific region”. After Austin’s visit, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement emphasising the importance of bilateral defence cooperation in Indo-U.S. ties. The two sides agreed to enhance military cooperation.