“US-India partnership vital for preserving peace in Indo-Pacific region”: Former White House official Lisa Curtis

Lisa Curtis, Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for New American Security and former White House official, said that the partnership between the United States and India is crucial for maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Curtis asserted that the US-India partnership is gaining momentum, with initiatives like the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) dialogue and the recent USD4 billion deal for India to purchase 31 MQ-9B Predator drones. She said that these developments demonstrate the deepening defence and security partnership between the two nations.

The remarks by Curtis came while addressing the Indian Army’s Chanakya Defence Dialogues in New Delhi.

During the address, Curtis said, “The US-India partnership is also vital for preserving peace and stability in the broader Indo-Pacific region. We have initiatives like the iCET dialogue, which has led to the milestone agreement in June 2023 for the US and India to co-produce jet engine technology. Also, the recent conclusion of the USD 4 billion deal for India to purchase 31 MQ-9B Predator drones. I think these are both testament to the deepening defence and security partnership between the US and India.”

She further said that the upcoming Indian Ocean Dialogue is set to strengthen the partnership between India and the US.

“We have, of course, had challenges in that relationship but I think the fact that we have weathered these challenges and the relationship has stayed on course, we’ve maintained momentum, says a lot about both countries’s commitment to that partnership. There will be an Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD) happening soon between the US and India, which is another important example of our partnership,” Curtis said.

Curtis also spoke about the agreement between India and China on resuming regular patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and called the agreement a “testament to India’s patience.”

She said, “The recent India-China border agreement for patrolling along the border is very good news. I think this is a testament to India’s patience. It took four and a half years to get to this point, but I think it’s a good sign that we can see an improvement in India-China relations and hopefully, we will see a new phase of greater cooperation in the region and I think this is good news for everybody; this is good news for the globe.”

Notably, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on October 21 that an agreement had been reached between the two nations regarding patrolling arrangements along the LAC in the India-China border areas.

The border standoff between India and China began in eastern Ladakh along the LAC in 2020, sparked by Chinese military actions. In early May 2020, troops from China’s People’s Liberation Army and the Indian Army clashed at locations along the LAC, the disputed boundary between China and India.

The tensions between the two neighbouring countries along the border escalated on the June 15, 2020, face-off in Galwan Valley, leading to casualties on both sides.