United States Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday has said that India will be an important partner for the US in the future, playing an important role in countering China. The remarks come as the view that the border conflict between India and China in the Himalayas is a two-front problem for Beijing is gaining traction among US strategists.
India will be America's major strategic partner in future
During a personal seminar in Washington on Thursday, America's highest-ranked naval officer said he has spent more time visiting India than any other country as he sees New Delhi as a strategic partner for the US in the future.
Referring to his five-day visit to India last year, Admiral Gilday said, "The Indian Ocean battlefield is becoming more and more important to us. The fact that India and China currently have a slight skirmish on their border... it is strategically important.'
'Will have to look to India'
"They now force China not only to look to the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, but they must now look to India," Admiral Gilday said during an event organized by the Heritage Foundation.
'India may draw China's attention to the Himalayan border'
In June, when the leaders of the Quad were meeting in Japan, former Pentagon official Elbridge Colby told Nikkei Asia that India would not contribute directly to the local fighting over Taiwan, but could draw China's attention to the Himalayan border.
'America and Japan need India'
Colby, lead author of the 2018 National Defense Strategy during the tenure of former President Donald Trump, said the United States and Japan need India to be as strong as possible in South Asia and effectively engage Chinese attention. So that they have a bigger other problem in front of them.'
Meanwhile, India derives equal benefit from China's difficulties in countering a strong US-Japan alliance around Taiwan, he said.
Against this backdrop, a planned joint mountaineering exercise between the US and India in October is being seen as outlining a possible second front for China, according to Nikkei Asia. This joint warfare exercise will be conducted in the Indian state of Uttarakhand from October 18 to 31.
An indo-US joint exercise to be held in Uttarakhand
India has hosted exercises in Uttarakhand in the past including in 2014, 2016, and 2018, all of which were conducted in the foothills 300 km from the Chinese border. According to a Nikkei Asia report, this year's exercise will take place at an altitude of over 3,000 meters in Uttarakhand's Auli region, which is less than 100 km from the Line of Actual Control.
'India's activities can help defend Taiwan'
Earlier this year, columnist Brahm Chelani wrote in Nikkei Asia that Indian activities in the Himalayas could help defend Taiwan. This would tie up a full Chinese theater force, which could otherwise be employed against the island. Chelan argued that such a two-front strategy should be coordinated with the US.
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