The United States, in its latest Quadrennial Defence Review, has affirmed support for India’s rise as an “increasingly capable actor” in the region. The Pentagon report also strongly reaffirms America’s push for a strategic rebalance to Asia.
“The United States supports India’s rise as an increasingly capable actor in the region, and we are deepening our strategic partnership, including through the Defence Trade and Technology Initiative,” the QDR said.
As the US proceeds with its pullout from Afghanistan, the report renews the Obama administration’s willingness to “transition to a limited mission focused on counterterrorism and training, advising, and assisting Afghan security forces”.
“We will continue efforts to help stabilise Central and Southwest Asia and deepen our engagement in the Indian Ocean region to bolster our rebalance to Asia,” the review notes, adding: “The stability of Pakistan and peace in
South Asia remain critical to this effort.”
In its review of the Asia-Pacific region, the report speaks of an emerging multilateral security architecture, composed of ASEAN and regional actors, to help manage tensions and prevent conflict.
“Traditional anchors of regional security such as Australia, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, and growing powers such as India and Indonesia, are taking on additional leadership roles to foster increased communication and shared understanding,” it says.
The report sees the Asia-Pacific region as “increasingly central to global commerce, politics, and security”. Defence spending in this region has been on the rise with nations continuing to develop their military and security capabilities, which also poses the risk of disruptive competition or conflict eruption over long-standing sovereignty disputes or claims to natural resources.
“In particular, the rapid pace and comprehensive scope of China’s military modernization continues, combined with a relative lack of transparency and openness from China’s leaders regarding both military capabilities and intentions,” the QDR says. It also sees China seeking to counter US strengths by “using anti-access and area-denial (A2/AD) approaches and by employing other new cyber and space control technologies”.
The report speaks of the United States facing a rapidly changing security environment, with “new technologies, new centers of power, and a world that is growing more volatile, more unpredictable, and in some instances more threatening to the United States”.
“Challenges to our many allies and partners around the globe remain dynamic and unpredictable, particularly from regimes in North Korea and Iran,” it says.
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, referring to the tough choices dictated by fiscal austerity, says the measures include “reducing force structure in order to protect and expand critical capabilities, modernising the forces and investing in readiness”.
“Although the future (US) force will be smaller, it will be ready, capable and able to project power great distances. Investment decisions will ensure that we maintain our technological edge over potential adversaries, and that we advance US interests across all domains,” Hagel writes in his foreword to the 88-page review.