US sharing India-China standoff information with New Delhi, says US

Washington DC, October 24: Speaking about China's aggressive behavior across the Himalayas and India-Pacific region, a US administration official said, Washington is watching the India-China standoff in Ladakh closely, sharing information with New Delhi, and wants to ensure the situation does not escalate.

 

 

In an online news briefing, US officials said that given China’s increasingly aggressive behavior across the Indo-Pacific from the Himalayas to the South China Sea, it’s more important than ever that the United States work with like-minded partners such as India

 

US officials said they are in talks with India about the increased cooperation in Southeast Asia too and not just the South China Sea. They said they encourage India’s involvement and that it cuts across development investments, security cooperation, and involves presence.

 

'We have had an ongoing dialogue with the Indians about the increased cooperation in Southeast Asia, not just the South China Sea. And we encourage their involvement and that cuts across development investments, that cuts across security cooperation and that also involves presence and so, we welcome greater Indian participation across Southeast Asia in all three of those areas," a senior official said.

 

On the agenda for the 2+2 foreign and defense minister-level talks next week, the US said the subjects to be covered included regional security cooperation, defense information sharing, military-to-military interactions, and defence trade.

 

"We have made significant progress towards concluding the last foundational defence enabling agreement - the Exchange and Cooperation Agreement or BECA," the US said.

 

Taking about Quad meeting he said, there are no plans for that in the immediate short term, but anything could happen in the future," the official added.