India is central to US' vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific: senior Pentagon official

Washington, Sep 23 (PTI) The US views its partnership with India as central to its vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, a senior Pentagon official has said, underlining that they are now focused on the "long game" which is building the partnership into the future and supporting India's ability to shape a "favourable balance of power" in the Indo-Pacific, amidst China's aggressive moves in the region.

Dr Ely S. Ratner, Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs also said the US is supporting India's military modernisation.

“We view the US-India partnership as central to our vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. While there may be bumps in the road along the way, we are really focused on the long game which is building our partnership into the future and supporting India's ability to shape a favourable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,” Ratner told a group of reporters on Thursday and think-tank experts during a virtual round table.