Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met US defence secretary James Mattis and discussed security-related issues, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move to signal India’s importance to the US military.
According to sources PM Modi held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security-related issues of mutual and global interests. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval was also present in the meeting.
“The focus of the conversation was on the region in the context of PM’s keynote address at the #SLD18 yesterday evening,” ministry of external affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.
PM @narendramodi met US Secretary of Defence James Mattis on the sidelines of Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore. The focus of conversation was on the region in the context of PM’s keynote address at the #SLD18 yesterday evening. pic.twitter.com/N9a9s0d7Bi
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 2, 2018
PM Modi in its address said, “Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each other’s interests.”
“We should all have equal access as a right under international law to the use of common spaces on the sea and in the air that would require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law,” he added.
James Mattis also addressed the dialogue stressed upon freedom for all and “reaffirmation for rule-based order”. “It is only appropriate that waterways remain open for all nations,” Mattis said.
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