Senate committee supports enhanced Indo-US defence ties

India could be America's one of the strongest and most dependable military partners in the Asia-Pacific region over the coming years, a top Congressional Committee said today.
"Bolstering and strengthening the relationship, and encouraging enhanced engagement by India in the Asia-Pacific region should be a top priority of the Defence Department," the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee said.
The committee strongly supported an enhanced defence relationship between the US and India.
"Over the coming years, India could be one of our strongest and most dependable military partners in the region," the Senate Committee said as it posed a set of questions to General Paul Selva.

The Senate panel is considering Selva's nomination for a second term as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Responding to the committee's questions, Selva said, "The US-India military relationship is strong and getting stronger. Our two countries cooperate through complex exercises as well as robust engagement through defence trade and technology cooperation."

When asked about his recommendations for bolstering the overall defence relationship between the two countries, Selva said the US and India should continue to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest like maritime security in the Asia- Pacific and the Indian Ocean region.
"We should also continue to strengthen our defence relationship with India by pursuing opportunities to co- develop and co-produce defence technology that is in the interests of both countries under the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative," Selva said.

Responding to a question on Pakistan, Selva said the US need to continue mil-to-mil cooperation with Pakistan in order to improve the latter's capacity to combat terrorist organisations, while working with it on ways to enhance security along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and help bring stability in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.