New Delhi, February 15 The India-US defence partnership has a shared purpose of maintaining peace through strength, said Admiral Samuel J Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, on Sunday, while also praising the Indian military for its restraint during Operation Sindoor.
In an interaction with a small group of journalists, Paparo raised serious concerns about the increasing "coercion" and "aggression" in the Indo-Pacific region, indirectly referring to China's military flexing in the region.
The senior military commander, currently on a visit to New Delhi, said that India and the US share common interests and both sides are looking to further strengthen their defence and military ties, especially in the maritime domain.
Admiral Paparo said that the US-India defence relationship is on a "steeply upward trajectory" and is expected to expand further.
"We believe that our partnerships have an exponential effect on deterrence, because they demonstrate a shared purpose to maintain peace and achieve peace through strength," he said.
"I believe that as our policy leaders manage the relationships, it is the duty of our military leaders to closely monitor capabilities and to be prepared to contest those capabilities at any moment," he said.
Elaborating on the changing nature of warfare and the increasingly contested international commons, he said that both India and the US are committed to working towards peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Indo-Pacific region is home to 60 per cent of the world's population, accounts for over 60 per cent of the world's GDP, and seven of the world's 10 largest militaries are based in the region, he said.
"Of course, there are concerns, but we address these concerns through the growing partnerships that stem from this mutually respectful and sovereign relationship between the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy," he said.
The focus of the US-India partnership has been to maintain peace through strength and deterrence, he said.
Paparo said that both the US and India are committed to the principles of sovereignty, freedom of navigation, and freedom of the seas.
"We applaud India as a major contributor to the security of the Indian Ocean region," he said.
Paparo also said that the two sides are looking to enhance maritime security cooperation, including in the sphere of undersea domain awareness.
The senior American commander praised the Indian military when asked for his comments on Operation Sindoor.
"We applaud the restraint that was exhibited...I think all peace-loving nations were concerned when we saw operations of this kind," he said.
In response to a question about Pakistan's use of Chinese military hardware, including missiles, Paparo did not provide a direct answer but noted that constant vigilance and readiness are necessary to deal with such situations.
He said it is important to maintain a strong deterrent posture without elaborating.
In response to a question on the lessons to be learned from Operation Sindoor, Paparo said that lessons can be learned from every operation. He said he saw a deep commitment by the Indian military to learn from the operation.
The US military officer also responded to a question on what the US can learn from the operation.
