US INDOPACOM commander holds talks with India's top military brass

New Delhi: China's military build-up has been the largest since World War II and the real question is the intent behind the expansion as words of the Chinese PLA do not always match its deeds, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral John Aquilino said on Wednesday.

Admiral Aquilino, on a visit to India, held extensive talks with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with a focus on further strengthening the bilateral defence partnership. The Commander said the US's relationship with India is based on "aligned values" and presents an important model for building enduring partnerships.

"As we increase interoperability, information-sharing, and access with allies and partners across the globe, this partnership enhances our capabilities, improves our coordination, and shows that we are stronger when we stand together," he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).

In an interactive session at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Admiral Aquilino spoke about key challenges facing the Indo-Pacific and delved into China's rapid military build-up including in the maritime domain. He also hinted at the possibility of increasing the number of participants at the Malabar naval exercise if leaders of the four countries that are part of it at present concur with it.

"I do not really look specifically at the nuclear threat. What I would look at is the entire Chinese way forward with regard to military expansion, the largest military build-up in the history since World War II (in) both conventional and nuclear, in

all domains," he said in presence of Gen Rawat.

"I do not think I will try to explain what their intent is but trying to understand their intent is a little concerning. The articulation of defensive capabilities is what we continue to hear," he said.

Admiral Aquilino was asked about reports of China's rapid expansion of its nuclear stockpile.