Washington, DC [US], January 15 (ANI): US President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, emphasised the importance of India as a ‘critical partner’ for the future.
While participating in an event, organised by USIP, ‘Passing the Baton 2025: Securing America’s Future in an Era of Strategic Competition’ alongside US NSA Jake Sullivan and National Security Advisor to former US President George Bush, Stephen J Hadley, Mike Waltz outlined the priorities of the incoming administration.
Waltz, who has served as the Republican chair of the US-India caucus, highlighted India’s significance in the US’s strategic interests. He also praised the Biden administration’s efforts in fostering trilateral dialogues with countries like South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
On the topic of China, Waltz emphasised the need for a bipartisan policy approach. He identified several key areas, including supply chain security, Taiwan, partnerships and alliances.
Asked about the elements of a bipartisan policy on China, Waltz said, “I think there’s multiple elements. I just spoke to the supply chain aspect of that. I was also the Republican chair of the US-India caucus. So, that’s you know one it’s getting them back here to the United States where it makes sense. If it doesn’t make sense here how about the Western Hemisphere, who are concerned with the core causes of migration, let’s get that foreign direct investment, those jobs there. If not there, then to our allies with AUKUS and with the Quad, again areas that have continued from one administration to another and I think we’ll continue further.”
“So, the supply chain aspect, the pre-occupying Taiwan, we have over USD 20 billion backlog of things that they paid for and that we need to work hard to free up and have them get what they paid for as a deterrent measure and then thirdly to continue to reinforce those partnerships and those alliances where I certainly give this Administration and some credit is the trilateral dialogue between South Korea, the United States and Japan and then also between the United States, Japan and the Philippines helping those countries and those governments overcome historic animosities with a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. So, I think all of those things will continue and then if I didn’t mention India, I will again as a critical partnership in the future,” he added.
During the event, Jake Sullivan recalled his recent visit to India. He said, “I was just in India last week and they love you there as a co-chair of the India caucus. They love the India caucus and so they’re excited to have you come on board. I told them I could be the chair of the India spouse’s caucus in Congress going forward. They were a little less that but you know we we’ll do our best.”
Waltz also touched on national security challenges, including the need to secure the US-Mexico border and counter the threat of ISIS terrorism. He expressed concerns about Chinese influence in South America and Latin America, vowing to take steps to address these issues.
On the national security challenges, he said, “The most immediate aside from the natural disaster that we’re dealing with I think is our Southern border and the open nature of it is just unacceptable and in my view and I certainly think loud and clear and the president elects of you. So, you’re going to see a lot of action to close the border, to go back to the policies that we believe were working whether that’s remaining in Mexico or working with the Mexicans to fortify their southern border but we just cannot sustain the millions of people that have come across.”
“We were fortunate that we intercepted a plot of eight ISIS terrorists that were scouring sites in three cities, unfortunately, we were hit with inspired attacks. We were talking about this today, as you know ISIS reinvigorating to try to inspire individuals inside the United States. With over 100,000 Americans dying per year of fentanyl, we have to get our arms around that crisis and if you haven’t watched the news the president-elect is very focused on the Western Hemisphere these days and so some of these things I think have gone on frankly for quite some time across multiple administrations,” he added.
Mike Waltz said that he has held meetings with generals in charge of Southern Command ringing bells about Chinese influence in South America and Latin America and vowed to take steps against it. He stated that US President-elect Donald Trump believes they can avoid conflict with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as they need the American market and pledged to leverage it in a way that is in line with US national security.
He said, “I can’t tell you how many hearings, I’ve sat in with the generals in charge of Southern Command ringing the alarm bells about Chinese influence in South America and Latin America well. We’re going to take steps to take that on. We are all wringing our hands in Congress about supply chains and the fact that we have such dependencies on not just another country but our greatest adversary that China produces 90 per cent of our pharmaceuticals responsible for over half of the critical minerals. I passed a bill years ago to push the defence department to create an antimony stockpile because there are only three countries in the world now that mine and refine antimony Tajikistan, Russia and China.”
“Why is antimony so important you can’t make ammunition without it and so that is going to be a whole of government effort in terms of permitting, in terms of mining, in terms of refining, looking at the Western Hemisphere as a source of the energy, the critical minerals, the food supply that we need. So, that’s you know as Jake knows, as you know pulling all of that together across the agency will be quite a challenge and so but it’s fortifying ourselves. The president-elect firmly believes we can avoid conflict with the Chinese Communist Party because they need our markets and we’re going to use the leverage in a way that’s in line with our national security,” he added.
During his visit to the US in December, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with Mike Waltz on Friday evening (local time). Jaishankar said that he and Waltz held a discussion on bilateral partnership and current global issues. Jaishankar stated that he is looking forward to working with Waltz.
“Delighted to meet Rep. @michaelgwaltz this evening. Enjoyed a wide-ranging conversation on our bilateral partnership as well as current global issues. Look forward to working with him,” Jaishankar said in a post on X. (ANI)
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