THE ANGLOSPHERE: New India-U.S. Arms Agreement, Expanded Exercises Illustrate Growing Security Cooperation.

“We will continue working together to enhance and expand India’s role as a primary major defense partner to elevate our relationship to a level commensurate without closest allies and partners,” said Secretary of Defense James Mattis speaking at a press conference in New Delhi

A visible part of the stronger military ties will be coming next year when India’s and the U.S. ground, air and naval forces will exercise near India.

“To enhance our synergies in this area, we have decided to carry out for the first time a tri-services joint exercise with the United States off the eastern coast of India in 2019. We are also putting in place an enabling framework for closer cooperation between our defense forces,” Nirmala Sitharaman, Indian defense minister, said at the same press conference.

Both stressed the need for continued maritime cooperation to secure the stability of the Indo-Pacific.

Now that’s a pivot to Asia.