AI, space, and cybersecurity: Lloyd J Austin points out at new areas of

New Delhi: How do two countries that are already close and doing a lot together, build on the relationship? This is a question that both the United States of America and India faced when General Lloyd Austin (Retd.), the Secretary of Defence met Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh and the External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar.

The answer, clearly, is to build on the already strong bilateral relationship. If India has strong links with the US Pacific Command, why can’t there be similar links with the powerful Central Command, that stretches from Florida to Pakistan? Or with the increasingly important Africa Command of the US? Or, if there is a strong Navy to Navy link, as is evident from Exercise Malabar, why can’t there be similar exercises between the two armies and the two air forces? That is exactly what both sides have agreed to do now. 

There can be new areas of cooperation, as the US Secretary of Defence pointed out: Artificial Intelligence, space and cybersecurity. 

Of course, China remains the elephant in the room as the references by both countries to the need for a free and open Indo-Pacific suggested. There is also a possibility of cooperating with other countries, that are members of the Quad or ASEAN.

Even the contentious S-400 issue didn’t ruffle many feathers. It was quietly raised during the meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

India replied it was an operational necessity and the close ties with Moscow would not come in the way of the growing friendship between the two countries.

Also, India hoped that the earlier, if verbal, assurances would continue. The S-400 is a sophisticated air-defence system India is buying from Russia. Theoretically, the US could impose sanctions on India for the purchase.

Perhaps, the strongest indication of the fact that the relationship was on an upward trend, came when Secretary Austin called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was supposed to have been a short meeting but went on for much longer.