U.S Navy Warships To Use Indian Shipyards As Washington Calls Delhi ‘Critical Anchor’ In Defence Strategy

U.S Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, calling India a ‘critical anchor’ to ‘hold the line’ in South Asia.

He also appreciated India for expanding its shipbuilding and military capabilities to safeguard the security of the Indian Ocean.

Hegseth noted that India’s industrial and logistics capacity could support high-end military operations, including repairs and maintenance of shared platforms and support US Navy vessels operating in the region.

He emphasised that a ‘powerful’ India, acting in its self-interest, advances the common goal of maintaining a balance of power in the region where no country, including China, should assert dominance or hold the maritime security or prosperity of the U.S and its allies in question.

He also said that Washington was not seeking to confront or compete with China over its rapid military build-up, while adding that under President Trump, China-US relations are better than they have been in many years.

The Defence Secretary said that the United States was pursuing a co-production of Javelin anti-tank guided munitions with India, as a measure to boost the collective readiness of their forces and strengthen their bilateral defence relationship.

Stating that Indo-Pacific is important for U.S security and progress, he added that the U.S. is committed to the region despite the security challenges it currently faces in West Asia.

He also pointed out that the time of the U.S. subsidising the defence of wealthy countries is over, as the U.S. seeks partners and not protectorates, alliances based on shared responsibilities and not dependency.

The U.S aims to strengthen its military capacities and cooperate with allies to uphold regional stability, Hegseth said, adding that defense commitments have been undertaken by Indo-Pacific allies like India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

He urged the Asian allies to increase their defence spending to counter Chinese dominance so that a stronger and more connected network of partners can help preserve the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.

“Less Shangri-La, more ships, more subs,” Hegseth said, underlining ⁠that the region needs to invest in defence more than conferences.