Third term for Modi likely to see closer defense ties with US as India’s rivalry with China grows

By DAVID RISING and ASHOK SHARMA
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi — fresh from declaring victory in India’s election — offered few details on the agenda for his third term. But he went out of his way to underline he would continue to focus on raising the country’s military preparedness and clout. That should come as good news to the United States and its other allies, as they focus increasingly on keeping China’s sweeping maritime claims and growingly assertive behavior in the Indo-Pacific region in check. Defense cooperation with the U.S. has greatly expanded under Modi, which has helped enhance India’s defense credibility against a far more powerful rival.