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NATION MARCH 26, 2021 | The Indian Eye 8

a great Partner: austin spells out India’s

role in Indo-Pacific and beyond

Issue of human rights in India did not figure in the talks: GoI sources

Our Bureau according to High-level Indian
New Delhi sources.
According to the sources,
S Secretary of Défense human rights and values were
Lloyd Austin last Satur- mentioned as shared attributes
Uday termed India ‘to be and the only mention of minori-
a great partner’. He also stated ties was by EAM Jaishankar in
that the two countries are pro- the context of Afghanistan. This
moting peace and stability in the comes after some media reports
region and providing for a free said that EAM Jaishankar and
and open Indo-Pacific region. Defence Secretary Austin, apart
Stating that there was a lot from geostrategic affairs, and
of opportunities to strength- discussed the issue of Human
en the partnership between the Rights.
two nations. “We consider India This issue assumes impor-
to be a great partner and again Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin tance in the backdrop of the
I think we have done a number III greet each other with an elbow bump, in New Delhi. (ANI Photo) Freedom House report which
of things to work well together. has downgraded India and
There’s just a lot of opportunity called it “partly free”. India dis-
there to strengthen that partner- carded the report as inaccurate
ship and to do some things, ad- and distorted. Freedom House is
ditional things to make sure that a US-based global watchdog that
we’re promoting peace and sta- is also funded by the US govern-
bility in the region and providing ment.
for a free and open Indo-Pacific According to sources, “Dis-
region, as well,” he said at a press cussions marginally focused on
conference in New Delhi. “We the strategic situation in the In-
covered a wide range of topics do-Pacific. The US side briefed
that included equipment. It also about recent visits in East Asia.
included information sharing; it EAM spoke about India’s cur-
included additional opportuni- US Defence Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III meets External Affairs Minsiter of rent security challenges and our
ties for assisting each other lo- India Dr. S. Jaishankar, in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI Photo) long-term strategic outlook.
gistically and just a number of The conversation also covered
things. And those were really, and Association of Southeast tive we’re always willing to work changing global scenario, includ-
really good conversations,” add- Asian Nations (ASEAN), Aus- with countries who share our ing Europe and West Asia.”
ed Austin. tin shared, “Yes, I, clearly from values and have like goals and Defence Minister Singh said
Regarding India and US co- a defense perspective, we do aspirations. And so whether or that Austin’s three-day visit to
operation to counter Chinese have a number of things in com- not those countries will choose India during the coronavirus
aggression, Austin said, “I think mon, and if you just look at the to align with the United States pandemic “shows the abiding
-- I think that continuing to work countries overall, if you look at and others is up to them.” commitment” of the US to the
with like-minded countries as we Australia, India, Japan, us, you Indo-Pacific region is large- bilateral ties.
are working with India, we are know we really are interested in ly viewed as an area comprising Lloyd Austin, during his visit
working with Australia, Japan maintaining a free and open In- the Indian Ocean and the west- to India stated that US President
and others in the region to en- do-Pacific region. We’re interest- ern and central Pacific Ocean, Joe Biden has not made a final
sure that we maintain a freedom ed in being able to navigate the including the South China Sea. decision on the pullout of US
of navigation that we do -- we’re seas and fly the skies and inter- China’s territorial claims in the troops from Afghanistan yet.
doing the right things to promote national space and maintain that South China Sea and its efforts US media reported earli-
peace and stability in the region degree of flexibility. “ to advance into the Indian Ocean er this week that the Joe Biden
and that we really work togeth- While answering over the are seen to have challenged the administration was consider-
er to ensure a free and open In- expansion of Quad to include established rules-based system. ing extending the US troop de-
do-Pacific region.” countries like South Korea and Meanwhile, the issue of hu- ployment in Afghanistan by six
Talking on engagement with Australia becoming a permanent man rights in India did not fig- months instead of pulling out all
a multilateral group like Quadri- member of the Malabar exercise, ure in the talks with US Defence personnel by the May 1 sched-
lateral Security Dialogue (Quad) he said, “I -- from our perspec- Secretary Lloyd Austin here, uled deadline.

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