United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss China鈥檚 growing influence in Asia on October 25.
Tillerson recently gave a speech regarding the US鈥檚 desire to "dramatically deepen" ties with India to combat what he described as a negative Chinese influence in the region.
Last year, the two countries reported bilateral trade of $115 billion. They are seeking to expand this to $500 billion by 2022, though the US maintains a multi-billion dollar trade deficit with the Asian country.
India and the US are quickly expanding defence ties as US defence contractors Lockheed Martin and Boeing vie for multi-billion dollar contracts. The US does not, however, have an overseas military base in India at present.
These deepening ties are part of a strategy to compete in the region, and globally, with China, which is an important policy of the current US administration headed by President Donald Trump.
Tillerson has said in the past that the rise of India and China differ in that China has no respect for international law. He accused聽Beijing of using bad financial tactics to bury smaller countries in debt. Conversely, the secretary has praised India as a pillar of stability.聽
China is quickly expanding in Asia, and further abroad, through its massive infrastructure campaign called "One Belt, One Road," that is promising $1 trillion in infrastructure development and is winning contracts throughout the world.
One of China鈥檚 major contracts in Asia is a 260-mile long tunnel that will run through Laos and will eventually connect eight countries in Asia.
China has also invested $46 billion to build up Pakistan鈥檚 energy sector by building power plants. Pakistan and India have long-standing hostilities.
鈥淭he Chinese investments in the region are peaking and its every strategic move is crafted to realise its agenda to become an economic superpower ...,鈥 the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce said in a press statement.
鈥淚ndia offers a pathway for the US to make its economic presence in the region felt and to meet the developmental imperatives of the nations in the region.鈥
[Reprinted from .]
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