Article Posted on : - Oct 22, 2013

A file photo.

WASHINGTON (PTI): Describing India as a critical important player in the Asia-Pacific region and a "highly capable" partner, a top Pentagon commander has said that Washington is looking to increase the opportunities of its military co-operation with New Delhi.

"India is a critically important player in the region, in every direction from India's geography -- west into Pakistan, North in the Central Asia, East and South it is a critically important player to the region. And (it is a) highly capable partner," General Vincent K Brooks, Commander, US Army Pacific, told reporters at a news conference.

The US is looking ahead to increase the opportunities as much as possible, "which is governed by the pace of our relationship," said Brooks, who had to cancel his first trip to India in his current capacity this month due to the over a two-week long government shutdown.

The opportunities for defence co-operation between India and the US are abundant, he said.

"We are seeking to increase amount of work that we do together. It can be in a number of issues like disaster response, we have done some interoperability in high altitude, for example, our troops in Alaska go to India and train in the mountains," he said.

He said there are a number of areas of collaboration with India and one of the most important is maritime security.

"One of the thing we are seeking is to increase the amount of land force cooperation and interoperability," Brooks said.

Later, Brooks emphasised on the significance of the "pace" at which India wants to increase its defence ties with the US.

"The pace at which India wants to move, is I think is most important. It's India's pace. It is measured," the American general told PTI, cautioning against trying to rush against India's wishes.

"Otherwise, we would not improve the relationship, but put it in the position of friction within the government," he said adding that is not the way the US wants to move in its relationship with India.