'Our relationship with India is much...': US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reflects on his 4-year tenure

The Biden Administration in the last four years has expanded America’s relationship with India, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. "We strengthened NATO. We've pulled NATO together. We've kept 50 countries focused on providing security assistance to Ukraine. The things that we've done in the Indo-Pacific. Quite amazing," Austin told reporters in Florida.

"We walked in the door, and we were about to get kicked out of the Philippines. We are 180 degrees out from that now. We have a great relationship with the Philippines, and we continue to work together in the ways that we should be working together. You look at AUKUS, which is a generational capability that is really going to make a significant difference going forward,” he said.

Austin said that America's relationship with India has improved under the Biden administration. "We walked in the door and Japan has doubled its investment in defense and the list goes on and on and on. So, despite supporting and managing security assistance to Ukraine, and also supporting Israel's efforts to defend its sovereign territory, we've been able to maintain a focus on the Indo-Pacific as well,” Austin said.

"We described it as our "pacing challenge" early on, and that remained our pacing challenge. So we were able to manage challenges and resources — and I think that put us in a pretty good place. It sets up the country for success going forward, as long as we follow on the work,” said the Defense Secretary in his first remarks after the defeat of the ruling Democratic party in the November 5 presidential elections.

Responding to a question, Austin said the most important thing on voter's minds was the economy, and that's what people voted on. "I did not say that this was not important. Of course, it's important. I'm saying that what you've described as the most important thing to the people of America was the economy. So, I can't disagree with that, I think that's the way, people may have voted," Austin said.

"But I can also say that things in Europe, things in the Middle East were very important as well. I think we've done a magnificent job there in terms of managing things and not allowing things to blossom into a full-blown regional war,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)

READ | At UN, India lashes out at Pakistan for spreading 'falsehood' on J-K