India is giving a face-off to our neighbour in nearly all of the fronts, he mentioned.

New Delhi:

India is standing in opposition to a “bully” in a really “determined fashion”, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane mentioned on Wednesday, referring to the state of affairs arising out of China’s navy assertiveness alongside the Line of Actual Control in japanese Ladakh.

His remarks got here whereas replying to a query throughout an interactive session on the INDUS-X Summit.

India and the US can play a pivotal function in shaping the geopolitical panorama of the Indo-Pacific, selling peace, stability, and prosperity within the area, Mr Aramane mentioned.

“The possibility that we may encounter a similar situation to what we faced in 2020 is keeping us active all the time,” he mentioned.

Aramane was requested about challenges India is dealing with alongside the LAC and New Delhi’s expectations from Washington to cope with frequent challenges.

“One thing which helped us very quickly is the intelligence, the situational awareness which the US equipment and the US government helped us with. So that is one single most important area …,” he mentioned.

The defence secretary mentioned the robust resolve that each India and the US help one another within the face of a typical risk goes to be of important significance.

“India is giving a face-off to our neighbour in almost all the fronts we have with them, wherever there is a mountain pass, we are stationed there… and wherever there is a road we have to be there. So that way we are there standing against a bully in a very determined fashion,” he mentioned.

Mr Aramane mentioned India expects buddies just like the US to be supportive.

“We expect that our friends in the US will be there with us in case we need their support,” he mentioned.

“We greatly appreciate the support and resolve from our friends in supporting us during such an event, basically the information, the intelligence and any support by way of equipment will be of great use to us,” he mentioned.

The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a standoff in sure friction factors in japanese Ladakh at the same time as the 2 sides accomplished disengagement from a number of areas following intensive diplomatic and navy talks.

In his tackle on the summit, Mr Aramane confused that India and the US are key stakeholders within the Indo-Pacific bounded by shared values and customary pursuits.

“Today, we are witnessing a pivotal moment in the history of the Indo-Pacific region. The Indo-Pacific, with its vast expanse of oceans and strategic waterways, stands as the crossroad of global commerce, geopolitics, and security,” Aramane mentioned.

“In navigating the complex dynamics of this region, India and the US find themselves as key stakeholders, bound by shared values and common interests,” he mentioned.

Noting that the sturdy defence partnership between the 2 nations is rooted in mutual respect and strategic convergence, Aramane additionally cited the launch of Initiatives on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) as a key measure to bolster ties.

“A pivotal aspect of our burgeoning relationship is the iCET that aims to establish ‘Innovation Bridges’ across key sectors,” he mentioned.

On the bilateral partnership within the aerospace and defence sectors, Aramane mentioned, “Our bilateral relationship is flourishing, with India increasingly turning to the US for cutting-edge equipment and technology. The US in turn, sees India as a key partner in its Indo-Pacific strategy, leveraging India’s growing defence capabilities.” He additionally talked concerning the multilateral engagements the place each the nations are stakeholders.

The defence secretary underscored the “success stories” of India’s defence manufacturing, starting from shipbuilding, together with plane carriers, to the event of superior platforms comparable to Tejas multi-role fighter plane.

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