The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region: Morgan Ortagus
New Delhi:
Stressing that relations between India and the United States go beyond political parties, the State Department said on Wednesday that Washington needs the New Delhi partnership to face many global challenges and resolve them ” big problems ”on the world stage.
US State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus, while addressing ANI, said India-US relations are “really important” to the defense establishment and security of the two countries in the era of global competition as well as to ensure the freedom of navigation and the freedom of the seas.
Ms Oratgus’ remarks come a day after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark T Esper held a 2 + 2 ministerial meeting with Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh.
Referring to India as one of the United States’ “selective partners”, Ortagus said it was “extremely important” for Pompeo and Esper to go to India and have a 2 + 2 dialogue.
The timing of the secretaries’ visit is important as the United States begins the presidential election next week.
“One of the reasons this 2 + 2 dialogue is so important is that India has really emerged on the world stage and in fact we know that the United States faces a lot of global challenges. We cannot face it alone. We recognize that we need a partnership to solve one of these big problems on the world stage, ”she said.
“Well, it’s extremely important for Secretary Mike Pompeo and Secretary Esper to go to India to have these two plus two. You know, the relationship between the United States and India has been around for a very long time. It will be there. a long time yet. The relationship goes beyond political parties, this relationship between the US and India is important to everyone and to our defense and security system, so you know we have a lot of friends and allies in the world, selective partners like India, where we take the time to do the 2 + 2, ”she added.
Ms Ortagus said the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to the free and open Indo-Pacific region and that this is “really important” in the age of global competition.
“So we know that our two countries have reaffirmed that we are committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific, and that is really important as we enter this era of global competition. One of the things that are going to be crucial and the freedom of navigation, the freedom of the seas, the free movement of goods and the exchange of ideas are fundamental, ”said Ms. Ortagus.
During the 2 + 2 dialogue, India and the United States welcomed the growing understanding of the Indo-Pacific among like-minded countries and stressed that the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea does not should not infringe the legitimate rights and interests of any nation in accordance with the law.
A joint statement on the Third India-U.S. 2 + 2 Ministerial Dialogue said the two countries reiterated their commitment to maintain a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region based on an international order based on rules.
India and the United States signed five key agreements during the 2 + 2 Ministerial Dialogue between India and the United States, including the Basic Trade and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) which will enable India to access real-time precision data and topographic images from US military satellites.
