The United States has said Washington supports 'India's role as a regional leader' in the Indo-Pacific Strategy.
This was said while the US State Department on Friday published an analysis of different aspects of the strategy to mark the anniversary of the launch of Indo-Pacific Strategy.
Terming the United States as an Indo-Pacific nation, it was said that as the most dynamic and fastest-growing region on earth, the Indo-Pacific is an essential driver of America’s future security and prosperity.
It was also said that the region is home to more than half the world’s population, and it accounts for 60 per cent of global GDP as well as two-thirds of global economic growth. Trade between the United States and the Indo-Pacific region reached over $2 trillion in 2022, and the United States benefits from $956 billion in foreign direct investment from the Indo-Pacific.
"Our people-to-people ties bind us together – over two-thirds of international students in the United States are from the Indo-Pacific," it added.
Since the release of the Indo-Pacific Strategy in February 2022, the United States has taken historic strides to advance its shared vision for an Indo-Pacific region that is free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient.
The United States continues to demonstrate leadership and commitment to the Indo-Pacific, reinforcing the region’s capacity and resilience to address the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century and showing that they can build a better future together.
The US said, "But as our cooperation to advance our common values and interests has grown, so too have our challenges."
"We have seen China becomes more repressive at home and more assertive abroad, undermining human rights and international law, and seeking to reshape the international order," the analysis said.
It also added, "We have seen North Korea continues to expand its unlawful nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. The impacts of climate change pose an existential threat to small island states."
The United States supports India’s leadership in the region through multilateral and bilateral fora. 2023 included an official state visit for Prime Minister Modi to Washington in June 2023, a visit from President Biden to New Delhi for the G-20 Leaders’ Summit in September, and a meeting between Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin and their counterparts for the fifth 2+2 Ministerial in New Delhi in November.
"We are working closely together on defense and security, climate and clean energy, space, multilateral cooperation, and people-people ties," the analysis added.
The United States has taken historic strides to advance its shared vision for an Indo-Pacific region that is free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient. The United States continues to demonstrate leadership and commitment to the Indo-Pacific, reinforcing the region’s capacity and resilience to address the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century and showing that they can build a better future together.
The issues including advancing human rights and democratic institutions around the world and working with likeminded partners, supporting democracy in Myanmar, addressing threats from foreign information manipulation and interference, addressing the Rohingya humanitarian crisis and upholding international maritime law in the South China Sea have been discussed in the analysis of Indo-Pacific Strategy.
The United States has provided over $317 million in life-saving assistance to support the people of Myanmar, and dedicated $400 million to advance democracy, human rights, and justice. The United States has sanctioned 91 individuals and 50 entities to deprive the military regime of the means to perpetuate violence and to promote the democratic aspirations of Myanmar’s people.
However, it has not mentioned the US strategy to tackle the rise of authoritanism or degradation of democracy in other countries of this region.
The United States is the leading single contributor of humanitarian assistance in response to the Rohingya crisis, having provided nearly $2.4 billion to support the regional response since the escalation of violence in August 2017. US assistance has reached nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees residing in Bangladesh and helped support stability in the region.
The US in its analysis of the strategy laid emphasis on strengthening security alliances, supporting digital connectivity, advancing cybersecurity cooperation and capacity-building, building high-standards infrastructure, advancing climate ambition, clean energy, and energy security.