Md. Muddassir Quamar replies: The I2U2 is a mini-lateral initiative among India, Israel, the United States (US) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the stated objective of “expanding economic and political cooperation in the Middle East and Asia, including through trade, combating climate change, energy cooperation, and increasing maritime security.”
AUKUS illustrates the growing strategic depth between the US and Australia, the UK’s return to ‘East of Suez’ and Australia’s attempts to revolutionise its defence industrial base.
The Biden administration has further reinforced and strengthened US strategic priorities towards the Indo-Pacific, a decade after the ‘Pivot to Asia’ by the Obama administration.
If the US and Russia fail to negotiate a successor agreement to New START, there is the possibility of an unrestricted arms race with detrimental implications.
The impending removal of the piracy High Risk Area off the coast of Somalia presents an ideal opportunity for India, in partnership with the wider Indo-Pacific maritime community, to delegitimise China’s naval presence and strengthen regional mechanisms for ensuring maritime security.
The Race for the Indian Naval Fighter Contract
Dassault and Boeing have been aggressively pitching their excellent products to fulfil India’s naval fighter aircraft requirements.