The United States and India have reaffirmed their defensive and security relationship, as Washington continues to rally allies in Asia amid concerns over increased Chinese military activity in the region. In a meeting Monday in the Indian capital, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh discussed "military to military cooperation" and the upcoming Malabar naval exercises, according to a statement from the Indian defense ministry.
The statement also indicated that the two sides would sign the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) to enable greater geo-spatial information-sharing.
The Malabar drills, which will be held in the Indian Ocean next month, will feature all members of the so-called Quad, an informal alliance of the US, India, Japan and Australia, which has been proposed by some as a potential "Asian NATO," intended to counterbalance Chinese military strength in the region.
