NEW DELHI: Army chiefs and senior officers from 30 countries, including the United States, gathered in India to discuss security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular focus on concerns related to China.
US Army Chief Randy George emphasized the “critical importance” of the region while speaking to reporters on Tuesday alongside his Indian counterpart, Manoj Pande. He pledged to enhance cooperation to “preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Simultaneously, as these military leaders met, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi voiced opposition to the “unrestrained expansion of military alliances,” marking another in a series of warnings as Washington deepens security partnerships in the Asia-Pacific.
China Warns against NATO-Like Alliance in Asia-Pacific Region
Beijing has consistently maintained that any attempt to establish a NATO-like military alliance in the Asia-Pacific would escalate tensions and potentially provoke conflict.
Participating nations in the two-day conference held in New Delhi included Vietnam and the Philippines, both of which have longstanding unresolved territorial disputes with China. The conference, inaugurated in 1999, serves as a platform for army chiefs and top officers from 30 countries to engage in discussions on regional security.
General Pande of India noted that the region faced challenges on both land and at sea. He mentioned issues like territorial disputes over landmasses and the establishment of military bases on artificially expanded islands, indirectly alluding to China’s actions.
India, in addition to these concerns, has to navigate its traditional alliance with Russia, which is its primary source of arms imports and a recent supplier of cost-effective oil. This balancing act aligns with India’s growing ties to the United States.
George emphasized the importance of the partnership between the Indian and US armies, underlining its significance for regional stability, and noted that the relationship between the two military forces continues to strengthen.
This gathering of military leaders underscores the growing complexity of geopolitical dynamics in the Asia-Pacific region and the collaborative efforts being made to address emerging security challenges.
