India and the United States signed an accord on secure military communications that both sides hailed as a breakthrough on Thursday, possibly opening the way for sales of sensitive U.S. military equipment to India. ...
India and the United States also agreed to open a hotline between their foreign heads and hold joint exercises involving the air force, navy and the army off the eastern Indian coast in 2019, the Indian government said.
Indian and American forces will be able to communicate and operate with each other better. And India will be able to purchase American communications systems if they want to.
Secretary Mattis spoke at length about the growing relationship on his way to India.
And here is a press conference on military sales to India.
The Chinese trade routes to Europe and Africa being built at tremendous cost by China will be vulnerable to interdiction in time of war. Will Chinese military power be able to protect those trade lines in the face of the core of power that this agreement enhances?
I honestly don't worry too much about ignoring Southeast Asia given our focus on the South China Sea freedom of navigation issue, outreach to Vietnam, cooperation with Singapore, and close military ties with Thailand and the Philippines. And given India's Act East interest in Southeast Asia which will be enhance by cooperation with America, China will not have a free run in the region.
UPDATE: Exercises to follow:
A visible part of the stronger military ties will be coming next year when India’s and the U.S. ground, air and naval forces will exercise near India.
“To enhance our synergies in this area, we have decided to carry out for the first time a tri-services joint exercise with the United States off the eastern coast of India in 2019. We are also putting in place an enabling framework for closer cooperation between our defense forces,” Nirmala Sitharaman, Indian defense minister, said at the same press conference.
The emphasis is on aero-naval forces. And American ground forces are included. Although I imagine they will be in a supporting role for the air and naval forces.
I think significant ground power should be explored as well. I'd rather not have to do that. But I'd hate to have China able to rule out 15 American combat brigades helping the Indian army out.
UPDATE: Well sure, obviously we have some conflicting interests. But the common concern about China and jihadis will outweigh the other issues.
Heck, while India has better relations with Iran, I hope we can use that to build up an overland route from Afghanistan to the sea that bypasses Pakistan. That would end our dangerous reliance on problematic Black Sheep ally Pakistan's line of supply to our forces in Afghanistan. If Iran's mullahs ever lose power, India's efforts will pay off faster than any of our efforts starting from scratch.
