Robert Gates' Visit To Help Strengthen India-US Defense Relations

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates is in New Delhi to give a new dimension to his country's defense relations with India. Just a day earlier, the US special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, had also visited Delhi and had exchanged ideas with Indian leaders on the situation in South Asia. However, Robert Gates' visit is significant from several angles.

Regional Security Scenario
After Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's US visit in November 2009, this is the first Delhi visit by any important official of the Obama Administration. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates held extensive talks with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on 19 January on bilateral defense cooperation and regional security scenario. The issue of India-Pakistan relations was also included in the talks.
The United States wants that India and Pakistan should ease tension between them, but India's policy in this regard is quite clear. Only Pakistan has to make efforts for this. Talks between the countries would be possible only when Pakistan honestly takes action against the guilty of the Mumbai terror attack, and destroys the terror infrastructure. But Pakistan is not doing anything in this direction.
Infiltration from across the border continues, and the cease-fire agreement is being violated time and again. India is contributing in Afghanistan's rebuilding, but Pakistan dislikes this.
It is not taking any action against the Taliban who enter into Afghanistan from its border and carry out attacks. In this situation, the United States should further increase pressure on Pakistan, because it is spoiling the security atmosphere in South Asia.

Increasing Mutual Contact
Apart from the prime minister, the US Defense Secretary also held talks with the defense minister about increasing bilateral strategic cooperation, increasing mutual contact between forces of both countries, and providing wider basis to exchange of intelligence inputs.
Talks for buying aircraft and military equipment from the United States have also been finalized. Let us hope that Defense Secretary Gates' visit would provide a new high to strategic relations between the countries.