India-US cooperation scaling new heights while distrust increasing between India-China, claims US Admiral Aquilino

Washington: – US Admiral John Aquilino made a very suggestive statement, ‘Military cooperation between India and the United States has reached unprecedented heights. Simultaneously, the trust between India and China has gone to an unbelievably low level.’ Admiral Aquilino will soon take over as the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command. These claims made by Admiral Aquilino during the hearing in front of the Arms Services Committee of the US Senate draw attention.

Admiral Aquilino praised India, saying that India adopted a stern stand on its northern border and gave a strong reply to China. The situation between the two countries has changed drastically after the clash on the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. After this, India looks at China with distrust, and India has started becoming more suspicious regarding the Chinese One Belt One Road project. Admiral Aquilino said that the Chinese activities in the Gwadar port in Pakistan and Hambanthota port in Sri Lanka add to the Indian concerns.

Admiral Aquilino has inferred in his written statement submitted to the US Senate that along with this, the Chinese activities in the Indo-Pacific region, its non-transparent policies and ambiguous activities in the Indian Ocean have threatened the stability of the region. Admiral Aquilino claimed that in such times, the India-US defence cooperation had reached unprecedented heights. Admiral Aquilino also informed that the United States is experiencing strengthening bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation with India.

Admiral Aquilino clarified that the Ladakh incident only underlined the Chinese threat not only to India but also to its other neighbours. Therefore, the cooperation between India and the United States has increased far more than before, which is a matter of satisfaction. Therefore, India and the United States will cooperate more openly for an open and free Indo-Pacific region. Admiral Aquilino assured that he would make efforts to take this US cooperation with India further if he is appointed the Chief of the Indo-pacific Command. At the same time, Admiral Aquilino said that he would prioritise modernising the Indian defence forces.

Meanwhile, US Admirals and Commanders must present their stand and thoughts in front of the Armed Services Committee of the US Senate. This hearing is taken very seriously. Therefore, the stand presented by Admiral Aquilino is very significant.