US defence secretary says ties with India really strong, based on common vision and values

Lloyd Austin, United States Secretary of Defense, said on Saturday (Jun 1) that the ties between India and the US are based on a common vision and common values. 

While responding to a delegate's question at the Shangri La Dialogue, Austin said that the momentum in the relationship is not only going to continue but will pick up speed. 

"I believe the momentum that we see is not only going to continue but, at a point, it will pick up speed," Austin emphasised. 

"The relationship we enjoy right now with India is as good as or better than our relationship that it has ever been. We are co-producing armoured vehicles with India," Austin told delegates. 

"Together with our friends in the region, we are breaking down national barriers and better integrating our defence industry," he said while speaking on the Indo-Pacific region. 

Austin talked about the US defence industry and mentioned how it is being integrated with those of the regional countries, including Japan. He said, "Together we are investing in capabilities that promote lasting security and stability. And together we are ensuring that the Indo-Pacific will remain secure." 

He emphasised why the US maintains a presence in the region and would continue to make the necessary investments to meet its commitments to friends and partners. 

Austin said that the US consistently link its investments to strategy and has devoted a "historic amount" of resources towards maintaining the Indo-Pacific. 

"The United States can be secure only if Asia is and that's why the United States has long maintained its presence in this region," he stressed 

The Indo-Pacific is comprised of the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea. 

Particularly in the South China Sea, the territories remain disputed because of the overlapping claims. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam claim parts of it.