India, US poised to bring greater security, prosperity: PACOM

Washington, Feb 25: As the world's two largest democracies, India and the US are uniquely poised to help bring greater security and prosperity to the entire region, a top US military Commander said today.

"I'm excited about our growing relationship with India -- which I've made a priority line of effort at PACOM.

As the world's two largest democracies, we are uniquely poised to help bring greater security and prosperity to the entire region," Admiral Harry Harris, Commander of US Pacific Command said during a news conference.

Noting that the two visionary policies are now coinciding, he said as the US rebalances west, to the Indo-Asia Pacific, and India implements it Act East policy initiative.

"In our last October's Malabar exercise, between India, Japan and the United States, shows the security interconnectedness of the Indian Ocean, Asia, and the Pacific Ocean," he said.

Harris is headed to India next week to participate in the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi and meet his Indian counterparts.

"My intent and goal with India is to improve dramatically our mil-to-mil because that's my lane, our mil-to-mil relationship, military-to-military relationship with India," he said.

"I have made India a primary line of effort, a formal line of effort at PACOM to improve and increase our interaction and interoperability with India," he added.

Looking forward to his India visit, Harris said the two countries share values and share interests and concerns. "So now, I'm excited about the opportunity to work with India," said the PACOM commander.

Harris said he does not know if joint maritime patrols by India and the US would be discussed while he is in India.

PTI