The United States welcomed India’s rise as a “leading global power” and will “seek to increase quadrilateral cooperation” with it, Japan and Australia, according to President Donald Trump’s National Security Strategy, which was released on Monday.
The statutorily mandated National Security Strategy document “explains to the American people, United States allies and partners, and federal agencies how the president intends to put his national security vision into practice on behalf of fellow citizens,” the White House said.
The strategy added that the United States will “expand our defence and security cooperation with India, a major defense partner of the United States, and support India’s growing relationships throughout the region.”
It added: “We will deepen our strategic partnership with India and support its leadership role in Indian Ocean security and throughout the broader region.”
In apparent reference to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and the One Belt, One Road initiative, the strategy said that the United States will “help South Asian nations maintain their sovereignty” amid the increasing influence of China in the region. It identified China and Russia as rival powers, and said that Beijing was expanding its power at the expense of the sovereignty of others.
Trump, while releasing the 68-page document, asked Pakistan to take “decisive action” against terrorist groups operating from its soil, PTI reported. “We have made clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory,” Trump said. “And we make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help.”
The document said that the United States will press Pakistan to do more to counter terrorism, “since no partnership can survive a country’s support for militants and terrorists who target a partner’s own service members and officials.” The United States will also encourage Pakistan to continue demonstrating that it is a responsible steward of its nuclear assets, the strategy outlined.
The United States “continues to face threats from transnational terrorists and militants operating from within Pakistan”, the document said, adding that their other big concern was the “prospect for an Indo-Pakistani military conflict that could lead to a nuclear exchange”.
The document also referenced Afghanistan, and said: “We will continue to promote anti-corruption reform in Afghanistan to increase the legitimacy of its government and reduce the appeal of violent extremist organisations.”
The National Security Strategy also identified “rogue regimes” like North Korea and Iran as threats.
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