US DEFENCE CHIEF PANETTA MEETS INDIAN COUNTERPART

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(6 Jun 2012) US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta is urging leaders of India to play a more robust role in Afghanistan, as US tensions with Pakistan, India's arch-rival, continue. • India has not been a major military player in the war, largely focusing on economic development and reconstruction in Afghanistan. • But US defence officials say Panetta, who is in New Delhi, will talk with Indian leaders about possibly helping to train the Afghan army and police. • Panetta was formally welcomed with a guard of honour ceremony on Wednesday and held talks with Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony. • Senior defence officials travelling with Panetta said the US would like India and Pakistan to work in concert to help stabilise Afghanistan, despite their long, historical conflicts and lack of trust. • Both countries, they said, would benefit from a more stable and secure Afghanistan. • The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the meetings, said the US had also talked to Pakistan about its role in the future of Afghanistan, so Islamabad should have nothing to fear. • Pakistan, however, is likely to view any increased Indian role in Afghanistan with suspicion and worry that it may dilute Islamabad's influence on the Afghans' future. • While the defence officials acknowledged the historical tension between India and Pakistan, they said the two countries have taken some steps, particularly this year, to repair the fractures. • Still, Panetta's two-day stop in New Delhi will gain attention in Islamabad, particularly since in his previous job as CIA chief he directed many of the drone attacks on insurgents in Pakistan that raised the ire of officials there. • Panetta, who has been Pentagon chief for nearly a year, has yet to visit Pakistan, leaving much of the ongoing negotiations to his top military commanders and US diplomats. • India plays a central role in the Pentagon's new defence strategy, which puts greater focus on the Asia-Pacific. • It was singled out for a mention in the strategy document, in part because of India's strategic location at the crossroads between East and West Asia. • As such, defence officials said India could help promote stability and peace in both the Asia Pacific region, but also more broadly across South and Central Asia. • America's defence ties with India have grown steadily since about 2000, including a substantial increase in arms sales that now total more than 8.5 (b) billion US dollars over the last 11 years. • • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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