‘India-US cooperation will act as force multiplier for rules-based world order’

NEW DELHI: India and the US are “natural partners” and the cooperation between the two countries would act as a force multiplier for a rules-based world order, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday, amid increasing global concerns over China’s military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.

India can be an avenue of “de-risking” for American companies as the country can provide high returns, he said, noting that American capital and technological know-how can help India become a developed nation by 2047.

The defence minister was addressing a conference on ‘Strengthening Indo-US Relationship’ organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC).

Singh said the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts have not much impacted India’s defence sector and asserted that India has become a strong country, capable of securing national interests and giving a befitting reply to anyone casting an “evil eye” on it.

“India and the US support a free, open and rules-based international order. Due to this, there is a lot of alignment in our strategic interests,” he said.

“Besides, our economic relationship is a win-win proposition for both the countries. The current relationship is driven by twin congruences of shared values and aligned interests, which is a guarantee for long sustainability and robustness of ties,” he said.

Singh said the capital and technological know-how from the US can help India achieve its goal of becoming a developed country by 2047, while investments in the country can give American companies high returns and an avenue of de-risking.