By IANS,
New Delhi: In a clear push for closer bilateral military cooperation in the face of the “greatest common challenge of terrorism”, visiting US Defence Secretary Robert Gates in talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday sought bolstered Indian role in promoting security in Afghanistan and stability in the entire South Asia.
Besides the expanding defence cooperation between New Delhi and Washington in training, exercises and trade, the two sides focused on the fight against insurgent groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan during Gates’ talks with Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna here.
Gates arrived Tuesday afternoon on a two-day visit to India after the Taliban staged one of their most audacious attacks in Kabul Monday, setting off explosions and engaging security forces close to the presidential palace and seizing ministry building.
After his arrival, Gates met the prime minister and appealed for closer military cooperation between America and India to bring stability to South Asia.
In an opinion piece published in the Times of India ahead of his visit here, Gates said that the two nations have been drawn together by their shared values and should push for greater cooperation in consulting new security threats.
“We must seize this opportunity because the peace and security of South Asia is critical not just to this region but also to the entire international community,” he said.
Gates would meet his Indian counterpart Defence Minister A.K. Antony and is expected to discuss how New Delhi and Washington can extend its cooperation in counter-terrorism. He will also be meeting Indian Army chief Deepak Kapoor Wednesday.
He is expected to sign a bilateral Logistics Support Agreement and a communication sharing pact, said officials in the Prime Minister’s Office here.
During his discussion with the political establishment, he is expected to focus on regional security, Afghanistan and relations between India and Pakistan.
This will be the first high-level talks between the two countries since the prime minister visited Washington in November last year at the Obama administration’s first state visit.
His visit was preceded by another senior official in the Barack Obama administration, US special envoy Richard Holbrooke, who was here Monday to confer with Indian officials ahead of the London conference on Afghanistan.
Gates came to India ahead of his trip to Pakistan. He had last visited the Indian capital February 2008.
Earlier, speaking to reporters on his flight to New Delhi, Gates said he sees his visit to India as another step toward expanding the two countries’ solid defence relationship, particularly in light of the common threats they face.
“It will be a further review of progress we are making in expanding the relationship – whether it is training, exercises or defence trade,” he said.
“All these things have grown significantly since the two countries signed a defence framework agreement in 2005,” he said calling terrorism the greatest common challenge the two countries face.
Gates also cited strides the US and India have made in developing a stable defence trade, most recently with India’s decision to buy US transport aircraft and other military equipment.
Besides, he will explore with Indian leaders ways to expand the already-robust military-to-military relationship, deepen counter-terrorism cooperation and bolster India’s role in promoting security in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the entire South Asia region.
The talks undoubtedly will address tensions between India and Pakistan. However, defence officials said they are gratified by both countries’ growing recognition that their biggest threat is radical extremism, not each other.
Gates had also praised India’s restraint after the Mumbai terror attacks, terming it “statesman-like”.
“I believe that the Indians responded subsequently with a great deal of restraint and have conducted themselves in a very statesmanlike manner since that attack,” he told reporters.
Military trade is likely to be discussed, but Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell emphasised that Gates’ visit is intended to deepen relations with a growing global economic, political and security leader, not to sell weapons.
“The secretary is travelling to India because we have strong bilateral relations with that country and need to nurture and grow those,” he said. “That is a priority.”
Military exercises between the US and India have increased in size and scope every year since 2002, the defence official noted.