An event on the US-India Strategic Partnership, concentrating on economic, security, and defence cooperation, was hosted by Global Strat View (GSV). Col. John Mills (US Army Ret. ), a former director of cybersecurity policy, strategy, and international affairs at the Office of the Secretary of Defence, and Christopher Roper Scholl, an editor at Fair Observer and a former Congressional liaison for the Pentagon, made up the panel. The conversation was conducted by Se Hoon Kim, Senior Correspondent for East and South Asian Affairs at GSV.

Col. Mills emphasized the importance of strengthening US-India Relations to deter China’s global malign influence. Commenting on the ongoing border conflict with China, Col. Mills said, “We should side with India, it’s as simple as that…” recognizing so-called “disputed territories” by China as sovereign territories of India.

Scholl expressed that the private sectors of India and the US are figuring out a closer form of economic partnership with the steady increase of global investments in the Indian market. He alluded to the US visit of Prime Minister Modi. He explained that the GE deal is expected to be formalized, further attesting to the ever-increasing US-India trade relations.

Notwithstanding India’s long-standing relations with Russia, Scholl noted that the upcoming visit presents a rare opportunity for the US to partner with India because “India is looking for friends, and frankly, so are we.”

The panellists also talked on Pakistan and China’s ongoing attempts to obstruct India’s progress. According to Col. Mills, Pakistan has virtually turned into a tributary state of China as a result of its own activities. The panellists emphasised that India is on track to overtake China by 2027 as the third-largest economy, with a chance of overtaking it as the second-largest economy. The panellists emphasised the necessity for the US to help India’s IP and patent protection in addition to its current efforts to stop China from stealing IP and patents.

Col. Mills and Mr. Scholl expressed that the timing of Secretary Blinken’s sudden upcoming visit to China on the eve of the visit of PM Modi to the US is confusing.

The Panelists concluded that the US should not be lecturing India but rather focus on things that are in our mutual interest and move forward on those factors.

(This story has not been edited by Bharat Express staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)