New Delhi: The US on Monday directed India to a new trilateral military pact with the United Kingdom and Australia to face challenges caused by China in the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing it would not reduce bilateral cooperation with New Delhi or multilateral such as `quad ‘.
US Defense Minister Lloyd J Austin told Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, while directing it to the aukus in a telephone conversation on Monday night, Washington would continue to work closely with New Delhi in Multilateral Forna as before.
“Singh, in turn, said India was studying the aukus agreement,” said a source.
Austin’s call came right on the visit of PM Narendra Modi to Washington for the first fourth meeting of US leaders, India, Australia and Japan on September 24.
Singh also expressed his deep Indian concern over a large number of the latest US weapons, ranging from Humveats and Helicopters to Drones, Night-Vision equipment and assault rifles, abandoned in the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
“Both leaders discuss bilateral and regional issues including developments in Afghanistan.
They discussed defense cooperation and hope to work closely,” said the Ministry of Defense statement.
“Singh and Austin also exchanged views on fighting terrorism in the region.
Both parties appreciate reciprocal cooperation in recent evacuation operations in Afghanistan and agreed to keep in touch regularly considering the developing situation,” he added.
At the Indo-Pacific, there are some concerns that the aukus can withdraw strategic cooperation which is estimated under Quad, reducing rectangular groups to be only a problem such as climate change, covid-19 vaccine and the like.
Under the aukus, Australia will get a means to build at least eight submarines of nuclear-powered attacks or SSNs (different from SSBN, which are driven by nuclear and armed with nuclear-leaded ballistic missiles) to fight traces of China’s naval developing in the Indo-Pacific.
Compared to the Indian SSBN INS Solitia at this time, China has at least six SSN and the same number of SSBN, including the latest Jin class submarines armed with a ballistic range of Jl-2 7,400 km.
The US, by chance, has had years refused to discuss the technology of propulsion for nuclear reactors for submarines or aircraft carriers with India.
The very famous Indo-US defense technology (DTTI) for the latest military technology collaboration also failed to send goods since it was launched in 2012.