Article Posted on : - Dec 04, 2009

Admiral Robert F Willard, Commander of the US Pacific Command takes a salute in front of Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate, in New Delhi on Thursday. Image Credit: PTI.

NEW DELHI (BNS): US and China is lagging behind in their bilateral defence relations, according to US Pacific Commander Admiral Robert F. Willard.

Admiral Robert F. Willard opines that both countries needs to give a push to enhance and strenghten their military engagements.

"The US-China military engagement lags behind. We intend to improve military dialogue with China," said Willard, according to the media reports.

India from the onset has always been conducting military engagements with both the countries. India and China in 2007 conducted an anti-terror military exercise named Hand-in-Hand, 2007. The current Yudh-Abhyas, 2009, a joint exercise between India and US has recently been conducted in India.

When asked on building a new trilateral forum between India, China and US, Admiral Robert F. Willard said, "the idea of an India-China-US trilateral forum to guard the Pacific region as 'premature'".