A senior defense official emphasized the importance of defense industrial base collaboration between the U.S. and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region to maintain peace and security.
Jedidiah P. Royal, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, highlighted a “new convergence” in the region that is creating a more capable network of partnerships aimed at addressing key regional challenges. He discussed these developments during a panel at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
“This new convergence is being implemented through force posture agreements, multilateral exercises, improved interoperability, and other measures,” Royal said. He stressed the fundamental commitment to collaboration, noting that the defense industrial base is a critical part of this effort.
Royal pointed out the importance of leveraging the diverse advantages that regional partners offer to enhance defense industrial resilience. His remarks came after Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s address at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where Austin emphasized the commitment to strengthening defense industrial cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
“We are working with our regional friends to integrate our defense industries and break down national barriers,” Austin said. He added that the U.S. and several countries are endorsing a Statement of Principles to enhance the resilience of the region’s defense industrial bases.
The joint statement commits the signatories to expanding industrial base capabilities, increasing supply chain resilience, promoting defense innovation, and improving information sharing.
The statement of principles also emphasizes collaboration with industry, capital providers, academia, and other nongovernment partners to bolster regional defense industrial resilience. Royal mentioned that 12 signatories have agreed to establish the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience, a multinational forum for exchanging lessons learned and best practices. This forum aims to identify emerging opportunities to strengthen the regional industrial base further.
“Our goal is to unlock new sources of supply, manufacturing, and engineering talent in the region to support the U.S., our allies, and partners,” Royal said. “This will increase the purchasing power of the U.S. defense budget, ensure critical supply chains, and improve readiness. It will also enhance the ongoing convergence in the Indo-Pacific in practical ways.”
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