On June 4 in Singapore, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, US Defense Secretary Robert M Gates said that the United States is reaching out to countries all around Asia and the Pacific to build the web of engagement so important to security, stability and prosperity.
Gates added, “The United States and India are working more closely together than ever before. During the Cold War there was an uneasy co-existence between the world’s largest democracy and the world’s oldest. Now there is “a partnership based on shared democratic values and vital economic and security interests,” the secretary said. “A partnership that will be an indispensable pillar of stability in South Asia and beyond – whether countering piracy, increasing participation in multilateral venues, or aiding the development of Afghanistan, our partnership is playing a vital role.”
