Pakistan voices 'serious concerns' over growing Indo-US partnership

ISLAMABAD: Voicing "serious concerns" over growing strategic partnership between US and India, Pakistan has said "logistic exchange pact" between the two countries has put the vision of 'Asia's century' in serious jeopardy.

"Inter-state tensions in the region and significant investments in blue water navies by countries like India have brought oceans into focus as sensitive security space," said Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on national security.

Speaking at a national maritime conference yesterday, Janjua underscored the importance of maritime security and said the vision of 'Asia's century" was under stress as "security architecture and strategic stability of the region has come under stress".

He pointed towards the Indo-US logistics exchange agreement, through which India and the US have carved out space to pre-position themselves on this ocean, the Express Tribune reported today.

"India is being propped up as a counter-weight to China through geo-political, geo-economic and geo-military moves," he was quoted as saying by the paper.

India and the US last year signed a crucial logistics defence pact that will enable their militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient.

The conference, attended by policymakers, legislators, maritime experts, and academics, was held to analyse the challenges in the realm of maritime security emanating from militarisation and nuclearisation of the Indian Ocean and power projection by states maintaining presence in the area.

It was proposed that India may also be roped in to the connectivity net as it was identified as the only way forward towards promoting peace and stability in the region and ensuring the security of investments like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.