Page 7 - Us Pentagon

Will continue to foster stronger defence partnership with India: Pentagon

The United States will continue to foster a stronger defence partnership with India, the Pentagon said on Friday. We very much appreciate our relationship with India on a defence level. We continue to foster a stronger defence partnership with India and that is something that I think you'll continue to see us do going forward, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder told reporters at a news conference here. In 1997, defence trade between India and the US was almost negligible, today it stands above USD 20 billion. Responding to a question, Ryder said China remains the pacing challenge for the Department of Defense. We do appreciate the partnership that we have with India and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region when it comes to preserving individual nations' sovereignty and abiding by the international rules-based order that has preserved peace and stability for many years, he said.

N Korea vows strong response to US report calling it 'persistent' threat

North Korea slammed the United States over a recent Pentagon report that labelled it a persistent threat because of weapons of mass destruction, saying it will counter any US aggression or provocations with the most overwhelming and sustained response strategy. Last week, the Pentagon released the unclassified version of its 2023 Strategy for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction describing WMD challenges and methods to address them. The report stated that while China and Russia present the principal WMD challenges, North Korea, Iran and violent extremist organisations remain persistent regional threats that must also be addressed. Such US descriptions of North Korea and the North's angry response aren't unusual. But the latest exchange comes as concerns grow that North Korea is pushing for a weapons transfer deal with Russia in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The US has just revealed its dangerous intention for aggression to seriously violate the sovereignty and ...

Running low on money to replace weapons sent to Ukraine, warns Pentagon

The Pentagon is warning Congress that it is running low on money to replace weapons the US has sent to Ukraine and has already been forced to slow down resupplying some troops, according to a letter sent to congressional leaders. The letter, obtained by The Associated Press, urges Congress to replenish funding for Ukraine. Congress averted a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding bill over the weekend, but the measure dropped all assistance for Ukraine in the battle against Russia. Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord told House and Senate leaders there is $1.6 billion left of the $25.9 billion Congress provided to replenish US military stocks that have been flowing to Ukraine. The weapons include millions of rounds of artillery, rockets and missiles critical to Ukraine's counteroffensive aimed at taking back territory gained by Russia in the war. In addition, the US has about $5.4 billion left to provide weapons and equipment from its stockpiles. The US would have alrea

If US has to choose, it will choose India over Canada: Ex-Pentagon official

While referring to the poor approval ratings of Justin Trudeau, Rubin added that he is not long for the premiership, and the US can rebuild the relationship after he is gone

US in active talks with India over producing military systems: Pentagon

The United States is in active talks with the Indian government to look at producing military systems in areas related to ISR and ground-based conventional warfare, a senior Pentagon official said. Efforts are also on to establish a reciprocal defence procurement agreement with India, Siddharth Iyer, Director for South Asia Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defence said here on Tuesday at an event organised by the prestigious Hudson Institute. "We are in active talks with the Indian government to look at producing military systems in areas related to ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), and then of course ground-based conventional warfare. And we'll have more to say on that as they become ripe," he said. Indian-American Iyer said the talks between India and the US to finalise the security of supply arrangement, which would streamline the ability of defence firms to procure their requirements, is making good progress. "We are also moving at an aggressive clip to ...

Musk's refusal to have Starlink support Ukraine's attack raises questions

SpaceX founder Elon Musk's refusal to allow Ukraine to use Starlink internet services to launch a surprise attack on Russian forces in Crimea last September has raised questions as to whether the US military needs to be more explicit in future contracts that services or products it purchases could be used in war, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said on Monday. Excerpts of a new biography of Musk published by The Washington Post last week revealed that the Ukrainians in September 2022 had asked for the Starlink support to attack Russian naval vessels based at the Crimean port of Sevastopol. Musk had refused due to concerns that Russia would launch a nuclear attack in response. Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and claims it as its territory. Musk was not on a military contract when he refused the Crimea request; he'd been providing terminals to Ukraine for free in response to Russia's February 2022 invasion. However, in the months since, the US military has funded and ...

Elon Musk told Pentagon that he spoke to president Putin directly: Report

Musk made the comments during an October conversation with Colin Kahl, then the Pentagon's top policy official, about Ukrainian forces losing connection to Space X's Starlink service

Plea negotiations could mean no 9/11 defendants face death penalty: US

The suspected architect of the September 11, 2001, attacks and his fellow defendants may never face the death penalty under plea agreements now under consideration to bring an end to their more than decadelong prosecution, the Pentagon and FBI have advised families of some of the thousands killed. The notice, made in a letter that was sent to several of the families and obtained by The Associated Press, comes 1 1/2 years after military prosecutors and defence lawyers began exploring a negotiated resolution to the case. The prosecution of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others held at the US detention centre in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been troubled by repeated delays and legal disputes, especially over the legal ramifications of the interrogation under torture that the men initially underwent while in CIA custody. No trial date has been set. The Office of the Chief Prosecutor has been negotiating and is considering entering into pre-trial agreements, or PTAs, the letter said. It to

US Pentagon warns of disruptions as army, marines lack confirmed leaders

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned that troop readiness and retention is at risk as the Army's chief stepped down Friday, leaving the military's two ground combat forces without Senate-confirmed leaders for the first time in history. Speaking during a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Austin said the Senate's failure to confirm the services' new leaders is disruptive to the force and could impact relationships with allies and partners around the globe. The confirmation of the next Army chief and Marine commandant are among more than 300 military nominations stalled by Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican, over the Pentagon's policy to pay for travel when a service member has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. Today for the first time in the history of the Department of Defense, two of our services will be operating without Senate confirmed leadership, said Austin. Great teams need great leaders, and that's central to maintaining the

US will support allies as they resist China's 'bullying': Pentagon chief

Senior US officials have visited China recently, including Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, in an effort to improve relations between the two nations and prevent a conflict

US working with India on co-producing extended-range artillery: Pentagon

The US is working with India on proposals to co-produce extended-range artillery and infantry vehicles to meet its operational requirements along its border with China and address its "coercion and harassment", a top Pentagon official said on Thursday. The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in an over-three-year confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh. This is part of the unprecedented steps being undertaken by the Biden administration to enable its allies and partners to contribute to deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region, said Ely Ratner, Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, in prepared opening remarks for his Congressional hearing on China. The hearing is taking place at a time when relations between the US and China have been hit badly amid disputes over human rights, access to technology, China's territorial claims in the South China and East China seas and threats against self-governing Taiwan. Pentagon, he said, is supporting

US approves $1.3 billion package of long-term military aid for Ukraine

The Pentagon announced a new USD 1.3 billion package of long-term military aid to Ukraine on Wednesday, including four air defense systems and an undisclosed number of drones. The new assistance comes on the heels of a meeting Tuesday by defense and military leaders from around the globe to discuss ongoing efforts to give Ukraine the weapons it needs in its battle to retake territory seized by Russian forces. Included in the aid, which is being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, will be funding for four National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS, and munitions for them, as well as Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade drones. Unlike the presidential drawdown authority that the Pentagon has used repeatedly over the past 17 months to pull weapons from its own stocks and quickly ship them to Ukraine, the USAI-funded equipment could take a year or two to get to the battlefront. As a result, this new package will do little to help Ukraine in its current ..

LIVE: Supertech promotor RK Arora arrested by ED in money laundering case

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

Both cases are different: Pentagon on treatment meted out to India, Turkey

Pentagon's Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh explained the different treatment being meted out to Turkey and India for getting delivery of Russia's S-400 missile system

An accounting error by US frees up arms worth $6.2 billion for Ukraine

The United States said that the valuation errors did not limit Washington's provision of support to Ukraine

Not Accurate: Pentagon on reports about China's Spy Station in Cuba

Ryder added that the Pentagon was not aware of China setting up any type of military base in Cuba or elsewhere in the region

Trump described Pentagon plan of attack, shared classified map: Indictment

Former President Donald Trump described a Pentagon plan of attack and shared a classified map related to a military operation, according to an indictment unsealed Friday. The document marks the Justice Department's first official confirmation of a criminal case against Trump arising from the retention of hundreds of documents at his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago. Trump disclosed the existence of the indictment in a Truth Social post Thursday night as well as in a video he recorded. The indictment accuses Trump of having improperly removed scores of boxes from the White House to take them to Mar-a-Lago, many of them containing classified information.

PM Modi's US visit will set new benchmarks for bilateral ties: Pentagon

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US this month will set new benchmarks for bilateral ties and big announcements are likely to be made on defence industrial cooperation and boosting India's indigenous military base, the Pentagon has said. Prime Minister Modi will embark on his first state visit to the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden this month. During his four-day visit starting on June 21, the US president and the First Lady will host Modi for a state dinner on June 22. When Prime Minister Modi comes here to Washington for a State Visit later in the month, I think it will be a historic visit setting new benchmarks for the relationship, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner said during a panel discussion at the Center for New American Security on Thursday. I think it (the visit) will be looked back upon similar to how the Japan two plus two earlier this year was a pivotal moment in the relationship

Fake AI image of Pentagon explosion puts paid Twitter Blue in question

Several media outlets and millions of Twitter users took the fake verified Twitter account 'Bloomberg Feed' for a real Bloomberg-affiliated account, as it had a blue check

Have communicated with China: Pentagon on stopping weapons supply to Russia

However, Pentagon does not have any indications that China has provided lethal assistance to Russia