New Delhi: The US sees India not only as a strategic partner but also as a key player in the “global conversation” to help resolve urgent issues to usher in durable peace, American Ambassador Eric Garcetti said in the Indian capital city in November. Speaking on the India-US 2+2 Ministerial dialogue and the road ahead, Garcetti said that apart from the weapons that are to be sold and co-developed by the two countries, closer operational level co-operation between their militaries was a major step forward in the growing defence ties. This will involve intelligence sharing and joint military exercises on a much larger scale in the days ahead, he added.

Garcetti said that the recently concluded 2+2 dialogue reflected a much more deepening of the US-India relationship. He pointed out that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had made three trips to India this year and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had come twice, which represents the unprecedented level of relations between the two countries.

Garcetti said the joint statement after the 2+2 dialogue reflects the commitment of India and US to safeguard a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific through the QUAD and other metrics. This assumes importance in the backdrop of the aggressive geopolitical posturing in the region.

The US will stand together with its strategic partner India, Garcetti said, when asked about the recent talks between President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. “The operational level cooperation of our militaries, which I think is as critical as any equipment, and our countries discuss ways to deepen our science and our technology partnerships to harness technology with the global good instead of technology that harms us than divides us, we need technology that can connect us and protect us,” he added.

The envoy also said the US-India 2+2 dialogue discussed the “tragic humanitarian consequences of the conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East, reiterating their stand with Israel against terrorism, but also seeking to alleviate civilian suffering and adherence to international humanitarian law.”

Talking about the US investments in India, Garcetti said that they were looking forward to welcoming more visitors in December, and around January for major investments in Indian technology by US private sector companies. Investments in semiconductors and other such industrial ventures have to be taken up directly with the investing companies.

The government is there only to facilitate such investments. “Government to government conversations are expanding round space, defence, production well,” he added.