U.S.-India ties based on common vision and values: U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd. J. Austin

U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin emphasizes strong U.S.-India ties at Shangri La Dialogue, highlighting shared values and vision

Defence Secretary Lloyd. J. Austin on June 1 said the U.S.-India ties are based on a common vision and common values and the momentum in the relationship is not only going to continue but will pick up speed.

Mr. Austin's remarks came as he responded to a delegate's question at the Shangri La Dialogue about bilateral ties.

Held annually in Singapore, the Shangri La Dialogue Dialogue is Asia’s premier defence summit.

“The relationship we enjoy right now with India is as good as or better than our relationship that it has ever been,” he told delegates.

"We are co-producing armoured vehicles with India,” he said, adding that good progress has been made on the project.

The U.S.-India relations are based on a common vision and common values. “So, I believe the momentum that we see is not only going to continue but, at a point, it will pick up speed.” In his address on the Indo-Pacific region, Mr. Austin said: “Together with our friends in the region, we are breaking down national barriers and better integrating our defence industry." America will continue to play a vital role in the Indo-Pacific, he assured.

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam claim parts of it.