New Delhi: A strong defense relationship has been a major highlight of India and the US’s deep strategic bond, but how strong it is was underscored on Monday when it was revealed that the Indian Defense Attache team is stationed at the Indian Embassy in Washington DC. The rare privilege of “unscored access” is granted at the Pentagon.
“As of today, the Indian attaché team no longer has access to the Pentagon, which is consistent with our close relationship with India’s position as a major defense partner. It ties in with the trust and cooperation we share,” said U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, responsible for organizing, training and equipping the U.S. Air and Space Forces.
“And if you don’t think access to the Pentagon without security is a big deal, I can’t go to the Pentagon without an escort,” he quipped.
Kendall was speaking at an event organized by the Indian Embassy in the US, hosted by India’s Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
The event, organized to mark the 75th anniversary of India’s independence, saw an unprecedented attendance from key members of the Joe Biden administration’s cabinet. US Trade Representative Catherine Tai was also in attendance, among other senior US officials.
The Pentagon is a five-sided building located in Arlington, Virginia, on the outskirts of Washington, DC, that houses the US Department of Defense, including the Tri-Services. This is a highly sensitive area where access is restricted even to US citizens.
Kendall has worked closely with India under the previous Barack Obama administration and was instrumental in the US-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI). Established in 2012 and in strengthening bilateral relations in the field of national security.
“India is a country with which we do more joint exercises than any other country, there is a long and close relationship and we have been able to build and strengthen it. [it] over the past few years. As we work together for a unified deterrent for the region and around the world, I want to thank you for your partnership and all that India has done for our shared values and shared interests in the world.
Kendall also highlighted that US-India DTTI has seen rapid growth over the years with technology transfer underway with respect to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
According to Derek Grossman, senior defense analyst at the California-based think tank RAND Corporation, “the move” [unescorted access] Clearly shows America’s growing confidence in India, especially as the two like-minded democratic states continue to strengthen their partnership to meet the geo-strategic challenges posed by China.
Read also: India-US to conduct military exercises at high altitude near LAC amid rising tension with China
‘From sea to cyberspace’
India and the US held their first ‘2+2 ministerial talks’ under the Biden government in April this year and New Delhi and Washington resolved to establish an uninterrupted working relationship between the two armies in all areas.sea for cyberspace,
In October this year, Indian and US armies will conduct their annual joint exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ (war exercise). line of actual control – Undefined border between India and China – at 10,000 ft in Auli, Uttarakhand.
US Army Pacific Commanding General Charles Flynn during his visit to India in June called Chinese army gathering near LAC ‘dangerous’. India and China are face to face in a major military standoff in eastern Ladakh from April-May 2020.
US Defense Department spokesman CNN That the joint exercise is “one of the most important elements of our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
“A key element of this comprehensive effort includes exercises and training programmes, and Yudh Abhyas is an annual bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability and our respective capabilities to address a range of regional security challenges,” the spokesperson said. designed to improve.”
Apart from ‘Yudh Abhyas’, India and US also conduct several military exercises, such as they have expanded and upgraded a series of military exercises, Malabar (Navy), Red Flag and Cope India (Air Force), Tarkash and Vajra Prahar. (Special Forces) and, more recently, he did the ‘Tiger Triumph’ exercise (Tri-Seva).
America gave India was designated a ‘Major Defense Partner’ in 2016, followed by 2018 Approved ‘Strategic Trade Authority Tier 1’ status allows seamless access to high-end and sensitive US military and dual-use technologies.
To deepen defense and strategic ties, the two countries have already signed key defense US fundamental agreements – Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) .
In addition, the two sides also concluded the Industrial Security Agreement (ISA) for the Indo-US Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), which has facilitated the transfer of high-end technology from the US to India and the security of classified military. Information
(Edited by Jinnia Ray Chowdhury)