WASHINGTON: According to a new US defense strategy unveiled over the weekend, the United States will advance its major defense alliance with India to increase its capabilities to deter Chinese aggression and ensure free and open access to the Indian Ocean region.
In his introduction to the US National Defense Strategy 2022, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin stated, “The People’s Republic of China (PRC) remains our most critical strategic competitor over the coming decades.”
This press release follows the publication of the US National Security Strategy 2022, which identified China as the United States’ principal adversary in the world today.
However, the defense plan is more specific about India’s role in limiting China and promises to collaborate with New Delhi to oppose China’s purported efforts to “assert control over its disputed land borders” with India.
US President Joe Biden is quoted in the new plan as claiming that China is “the only country with both the will and the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to remake the world order.
In his message, Secretary Austin again cites Russia, stating that the United States will continue to work with its NATO friends and partners to “reinforce muscular deterrence against Russian aggression” in Ukraine.
In addition to noting that China poses a “pacing challenge,” the strategy notes that recent events “highlight the serious threat presented by Russia.” The plan asserts that Russia “disregards the independence of its neighbors” and “seeks to use force to compel border adjustments and to reestablish an imperial sphere of influence.”
The US national defense plan cautions that Russia poses grave and persistent dangers in crucial areas, such as nuclear and long-range missile threats. Cyber and information operations, counter space threats, chemical and biological weapons (CBW), undersea warfare, and large grey zone campaigns aimed specifically at democracies are all discussed in the article.
The memo says that the relationship between China and Russia continues to expand and that “any state could strive to create global issues… if the United States becomes involved in a crisis or conflict.”
The 2022 defense plan outlines how the United States military would respond to escalating threats to key US interests and directs the Department of Defence to “act rapidly to sustain and expand US deterrence, with China as its pacing challenge.”
The memo emphasizes the need to continue “right-sizing forward military presence in the Middle East following the mission transition in Afghanistan” and its “by, with, and through” strategy in Iraq and Syria.
The strategy commits to “deny Iran a nuclear weapon and identify and support action against Iranian and Iran-backed threats.”
Iran is also mentioned in US efforts to dismantle violent extremist organizations (VEO) of the highest order that imperil the homeland and essential US national interests.
The Pentagon commits to prioritizing cooperation with U.S. regional and global partners to discourage and defend against any future Iranian aggression.
