Don’t see China as threat, says US secretary of defence Chuck Hagel

New Delhi:US secretary of defence Chuck Hagel on Saturday advocated strengthening of trilateral, defence cooperation between India, the United States and Japan, even though he said that India does not need to choose between its ties with the US and China. He also indicated that Beijing should not be seen as a rival by New Delhi.

“Just as the US need not choose between its Asian alliances and a constructive relationship with China, India needed not choose between a closer partnership with US and improved ties with China,” Mr. Hagel said, in an address on Indo-US strategic ties organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) thinktank here.

“As our interests align, so should our armed forces and defence systems.” Mr Hagel said pointing out that since 2008, India and the US had inked defence deals worth over $9 billion. The US secretary of defence said that the United States and India “seek a stable and peaceful order in which China is a fellow-trustee.”