Adm Aquilino also said that China has been involved in bullying of nations in the Indian Ocean Region is expected to increase in the future and has a concept of free and open Indo-Pacific region is threatened

The US seeks information exchange between India and other countries in order to have a common picture of movements in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and says that China’s increased weaponisation is a threat all “free and like-minded countries”.

Visiting Admiral John C Aquilino, US Pacific Fleet commander, observed that there is no doubt that Chinese weapon is designed to continue to threaten the nations that they may have disputed with.”

Adm Aquilino also said that China has been involved in bullying of nations in the Indian Ocean Region is expected to increase in the future and has a concept of free and open Indo-Pacific region is threatened.

Besides meeting top officials in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in his maiden visit to India, the US Admiral met Indian Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh. And visited the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) at Gurugram.

According to Aquilino “The IFC-IOR plays a critical role in information-sharing and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) in the region. And, our focus is on a common understanding of the maritime domain”.

Last year the two countries had inked the foundational agreement Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) which enables information sharing. “The COMCASA is the basis on the framework for information sharing and the increased information sharing arrangements are meant for MDA”, said the Admiral.

And he identified aircraft carrier cooperation, technology-shared and Sea Linked Advanced Analysis as part of MDA. “In the next decade the US is looking for complete interoperability, openness and transparency with India”, he said.

On the South China Sea, the Admiral said that he seen continued “bullying of nations” by China and islands or rocks turned into man-made islands and militarised. Nations in the region have been challenged and China has been increasing its pressure in the region to achieve their objectives.

To a question on the Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), Adm Aquilino said that the US Indo-Pacific Command has invited 30 countries to participate in June 2020 for this drill. India will send a ship and a P-8 aircraft for the second to participate in a month and a half long exercise.