Leon Panetta visits India - boost in Indo-US defence ties ?

[Ray]

Would it also lead to the US not treading on India's turf and instead merely acting as a backup force?

That said, all these hectic parleys in quick succession - Clinton and now Panetta - is scaring the living hell out of China, who might undertake some nasty trick around the border just to inform India that they are very much around. And India, in its characteristic way, will take the Chinese aggressive provocations as if nothing is happening and all is well!

In such an event, what would the US do as a 'strategic partner'?

 

[drkrn]

Re: Panetta to encourage India for larger role in war

u.s and Pakistan with others have already burnt their hands in Afghanistan doing war on terror...

why to drag others into this ,that too at the last stage.

Indian presence there militarily will be a big mistake

 

[Yusuf]

Re: Panetta to encourage India for larger role in war

India is already doing enough. We have invested a lot of money and we also have military ties in terms of training Afghan soldiers. Boots on the ground now is something thats not going happen now. 5-6 years ago, i was supportive of it.

 

[The Messiah]

Would it also lead to the US not treading on India's turf and instead merely acting as a backup force?

That said, all these hectic parleys in quick succession - Clinton and now Panetta - is scaring the living hell out of China, who might undertake some nasty trick around the border just to inform India that they are very much around. And India, in its characteristic way, will take the Chinese aggressive provocations as if nothing is happening and all is well!

In such an event, what would the US do as a 'strategic partner'?

That is what annoys us but somehow i think it pisses off the chinis more.

 

[Godless-Kafir]

That is what annoys us but somehow i think it pisses off the chinis more.

Their drama wont work? :shocked:

 

[amoy]

Re: Panetta to encourage India for larger role in war

Change of guard? Even SCO shall refrain from getting quagmired in the "burial ground" of empires though coveting Afghanistan's resources for long.

 

[latsar]

India turns down US plans to counter China - NDTV

New Delhi :Concerned that the new-found US focus on Asia will lead to greater militarization in its immediate neighbourhood, specially the Bay of Bengal region, India today politely, but firmly, told US secretary of Defence Lean Panetta that there is a need to re-calibrate and rethink the just announced US Asia- Pacific policy.

The new US policy called 'Rebalancing of Military Strategy with focus on Asia-Pacific' envisages major changes in deployment and proposes that at least 60 per cent of US Naval assets would be deployed in Asia-Pacific.

India's western sea board and Arabian Sea has perhaps the highest number of warships deployed at a given time. Warships from countries, as varied as Iran, France UK, US, China and India, are all deployed in the Arabian Sea. The Eastern sea board of China already has a port in Hangyyi in Myanmar while US has south berthing rights in Chittagong Port, India has a massive presence in the Andaman Nicober Islands. The new US focus and presence of more US warships in the Eastern sea board, India fears will lead to more militarization.

Clearly, India's stand shows that it doesn't share the American perception of the Asia-Pacific region entirely, and would prefer the company and presence of countries likes Vietnam, Philippines and others to be involved when solution to the South-China sea issue is worked out. In the hour-long meeting between the Defence Minister A K Antony and Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta India 'emphasized' the need to take the relationship beyond "buyer-seller transaction", a senior MoD official said. India wants US to focus on technology transfer and a strong partnership "to build indigenous capabilities." India is likely to buy ultra-light howitzer and attack helicopters from US.

There was, however, complete convergence of view between the two heavy weights on Pakistan and AF-Pak region. Sources tell NDTV that the US expressed deep concern over the worsening situation in AF-Pak region and the support that the Haqqani network continues to receive from Pakistan.
US wants India to deepen its engagement in Afghanistan. India now trains about 1000 officers of Aghan National Army and other security establishment. Although Afghanistan has sought weapons and equipments from India, including tanks, India hasn't yet taken a decision on whether or not to supply and equip the Afghan Army. In today's meeting India and US discussed the possible situation in Afghanistan after December 2014, when the US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces withdraws from Afghanistan.

Interestingly, US didn't raise the issue of India dragging its feet on signing agreements like the Logistic Supply Agreement (LSA), the Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA).

India doesn't want to sign any of these agreements as it would bind them to give logistic support to the US fleet and troops, and on the other hand CISMOA will force India to share certain critical communication codes with the US. For the last seven years India has maintained that it is 'studying' the agreements and hasn't come to any conclusion. Clearly, US doesn't pin much hope on India coming on board on these issues and is now willing to put these issues aside and work with India

 

[amitkriit]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China reported by Sudhi Rajan Sen in NDTV Ju

Asia belongs to Asians, we might join hands with USA from time to time on the basis of mutual benefit, but we won't like to see USA in our backyard in long term. Reason is simple today it is China, tomorrow their guns might point on us.

 

[balai_c]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China reported by Sudhi Rajan Sen in NDTV Ju

^^ We need to remember our experience with East India Company. Once they get a foothold in Asia, they will never let go.

Reason is simple today it is China, tomorrow their guns might point on us.

Absolutely true! They would love India and china, the largest Asian countries to fight each other, and drain themselves, like they had Iran and Iraq fight each other!

 

[Tolaha]

Re: Panetta to encourage India for larger role in war

Even SCO shall refrain from getting quagmired in the "burial ground" of empires though coveting Afghanistan's resources for long.

This phrase has been repeated so often! I think its a given that a region that has been Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic at various times, could not have been a burial ground for invaders. Afghanistan has been under Indic, Central Asian and Persian rule for long duration in history. The current map of Afghanistan that you see, has a lot to do with Maharaja Ranjit Singh who pushed the Afghans from Kashmir, Punjab and North West Frontier, thereby reducing them to their current size.

Its about time we give this myth a decent burial.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China reported by Sudhi Rajan Sen in NDTV Ju

^^ We need to remember our experience with East India Company. Once they get a foothold in Asia, they will never let go.



Absolutely true! They would love India and china, the largest Asian countries to fight each other, and drain themselves, like they had Iran and Iraq fight each other!

If by "they" you refer to US, there is this:

The war began when Iraq invaded Iran, launching a simultaneous invasion by air and land into Iranian territory on 22 September 1980 following a long history of border disputes, and fears of Shia Islam insurgency among Iraq's long-suppressed Shia majority influenced by the Iranian Revolution. Iraq was also aiming to replace Iran as the dominant Persian Gulf state. Although Iraq hoped to take advantage of the revolutionary chaos in Iran and attacked without formal warning, they made only limited progress into Iran and were quickly repelled by the Iranians who regained virtually all lost territory by June 1982. For the next six years, Iran was on the offensive.[19]

Iran–Iraq War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[trackwhack]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China reported by Sudhi Rajan Sen in NDTV Ju

If by "they" you refer to US, there is this:


Iran–Iraq War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Who weaponized the region enough to start the war? Lets not pretend to be naive please.

 

[kickok1975]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China reported by Sudhi Rajan Sen in NDTV Ju

No long lasting friend, just long lasting interest. US did this to India during the 1970's, now they will do it to China today. They will switch target depend on who poses potential challenge.

 

[asianobserve]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China reported by Sudhi Rajan Sen in NDTV Ju

Asia belongs to Asians, we might join hands with USA from time to time on the basis of mutual benefit, but we won't like to see USA in our backyard in long term. Reason is simple today it is China, tomorrow their guns might point on us.

No. Smaller countries like us in the ASEAN would like Uncle to stay and make sure that giants such as China and India are dissuaded from being too aggressive. Uncle's presence has always been and will always be good for us...

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China reported by Sudhi Rajan Sen in NDTV Ju

Who weaponized the region enough to start the war? Lets not pretend to be naive please.

Here is one answer.

The U.S. was officially neutral regarding the Iran-Iraq war, and claimed that it armed neither side. Iran depended on U.S.-origin weapons, however, and sought them from Israel, Europe, Asia, and South America. Iraq started the war with a large Soviet-supplied arsenal, but needed additional weaponry as the conflict wore on.

Shaking Hands with Saddam Hussein

 

[trackwhack]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China - NDTV

I dont need links Ewald. I study enough history to be appraised of such facts. I will put in in short for you. Iran and Iraq have been historically not good neighbours with the Shite and Sunni dominance in each country. Up until the Shah was in Iran, the US supplied them with weapons. When the Shah was overthrown, Iran continued to use its western weapons inventory while opening up its defence market to Russia. On the other hand Iraq was supplied by the Soviets but the US offered weapons before as well as during the war.

Either way, the Americans and Soviets weaponized them enough to kill each other in the thousands.

 

[asianobserve]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China - NDTV

Either way, the Americans and Soviets weaponized them enough to kill each other in the thousands.

If it was not the USA or USSR then it would have been other countries. Even before the USA or USSR became superpowers that area of the World has been constantly at war. They will arm themselves from whoever is willing to sell them weapons, the USA, USSR, Russia, France, England, even India. They would even sell the hides of their mothers just to buy weapons... Just look at Africa.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

US Will provide technology access to India

Will provide technology access to India: US - World News - IBNLive

New Delhi: The US on Wednesday promised to initiate measures to provide access to dual use technology to India which has been contending that American norms were leading to denial of export of such sophisticated items.
This assurance was given by US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta to Defence Minister AK Antony during hour-long discussions in which they reviewed the security situation in South Asia and the Af-Pak region.

Panetta gave an assurance to Antony that the US would initiate measures to provide access to technology, defence ministry officials said.

The denial of dual-use items by the US to various laboratories under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was a key issue for discussion between the two sides.

DRDO chief VK Saraswat had recently said that US President Barack Obama's assurance on removal of DRDO from the entities list and easing exports of dual use items had remained on paper.

In the backdrop of China asserting its naval presence in the South China Sea, Antony told Panetta that India favoured unhindered freedom of navigation in international waters for all.

His remarks come in the wake of US announcement of moving six aircraft carriers in the Asia Pacific region.
Antony also told Panetta that in case of bilateral issues between countries, it was desirable that parties concerned should settle their contentious matters in accordance with international law.

Sources said that Panetta did not bring up the contentious Logistics Support Agreement, Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) or the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation (BECA) during his discussions with Antony.

 

[trackwhack]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China - NDTV

New Delhi :Concerned that the new-found US focus on Asia will lead to greater militarization in its immediate neighbourhood, specially the Bay of Bengal region, India today politely, but firmly, told US secretary of Defence Lean Panetta that there is a need to re-calibrate and rethink the just announced US Asia- Pacific policy.

The new US policy called 'Rebalancing of Military Strategy with focus on Asia-Pacific' envisages major changes in deployment and proposes that at least 60 per cent of US Naval assets would be deployed in Asia-Pacific.

India's western sea board and Arabian Sea has perhaps the highest number of warships deployed at a given time. Warships from countries, as varied as Iran, France UK, US, China and India, are all deployed in the Arabian Sea. The Eastern sea board of China already has a port in Hangyyi in Myanmar while US has south berthing rights in Chittagong Port, India has a massive presence in the Andaman Nicober Islands. The new US focus and presence of more US warships in the Eastern sea board, India fears will lead to more militarization.

Clearly, India's stand shows that it doesn't share the American perception of the Asia-Pacific region entirely, and would prefer the company and presence of countries likes Vietnam, Philippines and others to be involved when solution to the South-China sea issue is worked out. In the hour-long meeting between the Defence Minister A K Antony and Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta India 'emphasized' the need to take the relationship beyond "buyer-seller transaction", a senior MoD official said. India wants US to focus on technology transfer and a strong partnership "to build indigenous capabilities." India is likely to buy ultra-light howitzer and attack helicopters from US.

There was, however, complete convergence of view between the two heavy weights on Pakistan and AF-Pak region. Sources tell NDTV that the US expressed deep concern over the worsening situation in AF-Pak region and the support that the Haqqani network continues to receive from Pakistan.
US wants India to deepen its engagement in Afghanistan. India now trains about 1000 officers of Aghan National Army and other security establishment. Although Afghanistan has sought weapons and equipments from India, including tanks, India hasn't yet taken a decision on whether or not to supply and equip the Afghan Army. In today's meeting India and US discussed the possible situation in Afghanistan after December 2014, when the US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces withdraws from Afghanistan.

Interestingly, US didn't raise the issue of India dragging its feet on signing agreements like the Logistic Supply Agreement (LSA), the Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA).

India doesn't want to sign any of these agreements as it would bind them to give logistic support to the US fleet and troops, and on the other hand CISMOA will force India to share certain critical communication codes with the US. For the last seven years India has maintained that it is 'studying' the agreements and hasn't come to any conclusion. Clearly, US doesn't pin much hope on India coming on board on these issues and is now willing to put these issues aside and work with India

Since when does the US have berthing rights in Chittagong? The Bangladeshis have forgotten history I guess. The nation that supported one of the largest genocides in 20th century history is now a welcome guest on their shore. How low must your self esteem be as a nation to allow that?

 

[trackwhack]

Re: India turns down US plans to counter China - NDTV

If our foreign policy writers and Intelligence is any good, it will be India that ensures that there is direct conflict between the US and China that excludes us leaving us the space to move in and bring some peace and sensibilities to this wretched planet.