Third term for Modi likely to see closer defense ties with US as India’s rivalry with China grows

NEW DELHI (AP) — Fresh from declaring victory in India’s election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered few details on the agenda for his third term, but went out of his way to underline he would continue to focus on raising the country’s military preparedness and clout.

That should come as good news to the United States and its other allies, as they focus increasingly on keeping China’s sweeping maritime claims and growingly assertive behavior in the Indo-Pacific region in check.

“The government will focus on expanding defense production and exports,” Modi told a crowd of supporters at his party’s headquarters after election results came in. He spoke of his plan to increase security by lowering India’s dependence on arms imports. “We will not stop until the defense sector becomes self sufficient.”

Defense cooperation with the U.S. has greatly expanded under Modi, particularly through the so-called Quad security grouping that also includes Australia and Japan.

It’s a two-way street, giving the U.S. a strong partner neighboring China, which Washington has called its “pacing challenge,” while strengthening India’s defense credibility against a far more powerful rival.

“India is currently a frontline state as far as the Americans are concerned,” said Rahul Bedi, a New Delhi-based defense analyst. “The Indian navy is a major player in the Indian Ocean region.”

The defense relationship was also at the top of U.S. President Joe Biden’s agenda when he congratulated Modi on the election results.

In a call, “the two leaders emphasized their deepening the U.S.-India comprehensive and global strategic partnership and to advancing their shared vision of a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” the White House said.

It added