 |
| US SecDef Leon Panetta |
By MARCUS WEISGERBER
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta plans to give two major policy speeches in Asia in the coming days that will address a greater Pentagon emphasis on the Pacific and the broadening of a partnership with India, according to senior defense officials.
“We just see India as a partner with whom we have a lot of common interests and a lot of things we can achieve together — a lot of areas we can work well together,” a senior defense official said May 29.
Panetta plans to discuss the new U.S. strategic military guidance, announced in January, that puts a greater emphasis on the Pacific region and makes mention of India as a strategic partner.
“We’re really shifting to a point at which our defense interactions with India are becoming routine,” the official said. “We expect cooperation, and we’re moving to an era in which we think defense cooperation with India is just going to be on a steady roll. [Panetta is] going to be really focusing on how we continue to move forward that partnership.”
The U.S. wants to expand the relationship beyond weapon purchases to a point where interaction is routine, the official noted.
Read the3 full story at DefenseNews