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Rocca predicts strong Indo-US
military ties

The United States said on Tuesday that the "larger, long-term goal" of joint military exercises with India was "much more ambitious" based on strategic, diplomatic and political cooperation as well as sound economic ties.

"Military-to-military cooperation, long a subject of discussion between us, is now producing tangible progress towards this objective. I anticipate more exercises to follow Agra," US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Christina B Rocca, said in New Delhi.

Speaking at a session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, she said the joint exercise in Agra was the largest-ever joint army and air exercise between the two countries.

The US, she said, looked to India as a partner on all issues including counter-terrorism, national defence and international commerce.

While the growing military relationship was an important element of strategic and technical cooperation, Rocca said, "Non-proliferation remains an important item on our bilateral agenda, which we are addressing through cooperation and mutual understanding."

"We are confident that the Indian government shares our concerns about preventing the spread of sensitive technologies since the diffusion of weapons of mass destruction and missiles pose a serious threat to the security of both our countries," she said.

Rocca said another area where there was great scope for cooperation was export controls. "We have already had a series of expert-level discussions and conducted training for Indian customs officials."

Describing India as a "vital ally" in the campaign to destroy the Al Qaida organisation, Rocca said Indo-US cooperation had contributed to the arrest of hundreds of terrorists around the world.

Referring to Afghanistan, Rocca said the success of the Bonn conference that established an interim government in Kabul owed much to US-India cooperation.

While US-India counter-terrorism cooperation was rapidly maturing, Rocca said both countries were "natural partners in another front of the war against terrorism -- cyber terrorism".

"Just over two weeks ago our two countries held their first formal consultations on how to combat new emerging threats to our critical national infrastructure. Our professional-level dialogue, conducted from here on, through the US-India Cyber Security Forum, will be continuous as we work to protect both Indian and American societies from the threats of cyber attack," she said.

Rocca said an even greater challenge was to repeat the mutually supportive diplomatic efforts for all of South Asia and the adjoining regions of Southeast Asia, Central Asia, West Asia.

"The United States and India remain co-chairs of the community of democracies and will continue to work together to promote democracy throughout the world. Our collaboration can only make the world a safer and more just place," she said.

PTI

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