Washington:
Noting that India has presented itself as a global leader, the US Department of Defense's top US intelligence official has told Congress that by 2023, India has taken steps to modernize its military to compete with China and reduce its dependence on equipment from Russian origin.
“Over the past year, India has emerged as a global leader by hosting the Group of 20 Economic Summit and has demonstrated a greater willingness to counter the PRC's activities in the Indo-Pacific region to go,” said Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse. The director of the Defense Intelligence Agency told members of the House Armed Services Committee – the subcommittee on intelligence and special operations – during a congressional hearing on defense intelligence countering China.
India, he said, has advanced partnerships in the Indo-Pacific with regional claimants in the South China Sea, such as the Philippines, through training and defense sales and deepening cooperation with the US, Australia, France and Japan.
“In 2023, India took steps to modernize its military to compete with China and reduce its dependence on Russian-sourced equipment. India has conducted sea trials for its first indigenously produced aircraft carrier and has also negotiated with several Western countries for the transfer of key defense technologies,” Kruse said.
“In 2024, New Delhi is likely to focus on securing national parliamentary elections, maintaining economic growth and building on its 'Make in India' initiative as part of its military modernization efforts – which are aimed at countering Beijing ”, he told the newspaper. legislators.
Bilateral relations between India and China remain tense following the 2020 Galwan clash that left 20 Indian soldiers and at least five PLA soldiers dead. In October 2023, senior Indian and PLA officers failed to resolve disputes over the two remaining standoff sites in eastern Ladakh during their twentieth round of talks. Both sides have about 50,000 to 60,000 troops in the area and continue to improve their military infrastructure near the border, Kruse told lawmakers.
“India has maintained its neutral stance towards the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia remains India's top defense partner and New Delhi continues to acquire weapons from Moscow, such as the S-400 surface-to-air missile system, despite New Delhi's desire to diversify its defense acquisition partnerships,” Kruse said.
As for Pakistan, Kruse told lawmakers that it has sought international support, including from the UN Security Council, to resolve its dispute with India over Kashmir. Separately, Islamabad and New Delhi have been maintaining an uneasy ceasefire along the shared Line of Control since February 2021.
“Pakistan has continued its nuclear modernization efforts despite economic turmoil. Terrorist violence against Pakistani security forces and civilians also increased last year,” Kruse said.
In 2023, militants killed around 400 security forces, a nine-year high, and Pakistani security forces have been conducting counter-terrorism operations almost daily for the past year.
Pakistan's contentious relationship with India continues to shape defense policy, Kruse said. However, cross-border violence between the countries has decreased since their renewed pledge to a ceasefire in February 2021, he said.
“Islamabad is modernizing its nuclear arsenal and improving the safety of its nuclear materials and nuclear C2. In October, Pakistan successfully tested its Ababeel medium-range ballistic missile, he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)