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NEW DELHI – The United States and India signed an agreement Thursday to allow New Delhi to acquire advanced US weapons and share sensitive military technologies, thus strengthening their military partnership.
"Today's fruitful debate has shown the value of continued cooperation between the two largest democracies in the world," US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told a news conference Thursday after the meeting. signature of the agreement. "We will work together for a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific."
The countries also promised to organize land, air and sea military exercises in India next year. In the past, they organized joint exercises outside the country.
But despite the friendly handshakes and flattering remarks exchanged while Mattis and Mike Pompeo, the state secretary, met with their counterparts in New Delhi Wednesday and Thursday, the two counties remain deeply skeptical of each other.
The United States is worried about India's willingness to openly oppose China as the Chinese expand their influence in the waters between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. He is also unhappy with India's reluctance to sever trade relations with Iran.
India views the Trump administration as irregular and is troubled by the recent US trade barriers, which threaten to impose tariffs on Indian products and force New Delhi to import more US products.
Yet, the agreement has been praised.
"It's a huge deal," said Rudra Chaudhuri, a lecturer at King's College London. "In a sense, it is clear that the wind in India and India is strong, whatever the differences."
The Indian and US secretaries of defense, he said, have achieved a great feat "at a time when the Trump White House remains determined to undermine the global partnerships of the United States."
India is critical to the US's new "Indo-Pacific" strategy – formerly known as "Asia-Pacific" – which aims to limit the growing influence of the Chinese navy in the region by making New Delhi the cornerstone of future military cooperation.
India worries about China's growing influence in the region – both military Last year, the disputed border region engaged in a tense situation – New Delhi prefers to avoid confrontation with Beijing when it can. This reluctance could thwart Washington's plans for India to be the backbone of its efforts to counter China, US officials fear.
India's military budget this year is $ 45 billion and China's $ 175 billion. India has 18 submarines in service; China has 78.
New Delhi was alarmed by the growing presence of Chinese submarines in its traditional sphere of influence and by the conclusion of shipping agreements between Beijing and countries encircling India. Western and Indian diplomats are concerned that China can turn these seaports, currently used for commercial purposes, into Beijing Navy appeal docks by taking advantage of the huge debt of the countries in which they have landed. lends money.
The purpose of the US delegation's visit this week was to allow the United States and India to cooperate militarily. Under the agreement signed by the two countries, the Agreement on Compatibility and Security of Communications, the United States will transfer its high-tech communication platforms to India. Until now, countries have communicated via open radio.
"Defense cooperation has become the most important dimension of our strategic partnership and a key factor in our overall bilateral relationship," said Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Thursday, sitting with Mattis and Mike Pompeo. .
US sanctions against Russia and Iran have also weighed on the meetings, as both countries have signed agreements and important economic ties with India.
Earlier this year, President Trump renounced the Iran nuclear deal and reinstated sanctions against the country, which currently supplies about 20 percent of India's oil needs. Indian companies also have deep ties in Iran.
Trump gave the allies a deadline in November to stop trading with Iran or face sanctions, but Indian officials said they would ignore threats and continue to buy Iranian oil. Earlier this week, Pompeo acknowledged that Iran would participate in the talks in New Delhi, but said it would be a minor part of the talks.
India should also buy a Russian anti-aircraft missile system, the S-400 Triumf, a $ 6 billion deal that violates the sanctions imposed by Congress this year on Russia.
The US authorities have said they can ignore the purchase, but they remain frustrated by New Delhi's dependence on Russian defense equipment, which is the bulk of Indian military equipment.
Washington has been trying to increase its military sales in New Delhi over the years. Sales went from almost zero ten years ago to about $ 18 billion next year.
Gardiner Harris in Washington contributed to this report.
Maria Abi-Habib is a correspondent for South Asia. She can be found on Twitter here: @abihabib
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