NEW DELHI: US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin on Saturday said that Washington never believed that India and China were on the threshold of war at the height of tensions during their border standoff in eastern Ladakh.
Addressing a media briefing in the national capital, the top US official said that the Joe Biden administration would like to work with like-minded countries such as India to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Asked if US ever thought that a war between India and China was imminent, Austin said: “No, to my knowledge we had never considered that India and China were on the threshold of war.”

On a question about Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, Austin said that US would like to work with like-minded partners such as India, Australia and Japan to maintain “freedom of navigation” in the region.
“We are doing the right things to promote peace and stability in the region and would like to work together for a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” the Pentagon chief said.
India, US, Australia and Japan are part of the Quad alliance, which is seen as a counterweight to China, who critics say is flexing its military muscle in the South China Sea, East China Sea, Taiwan Strait and along its northern border with India.
China has called the Quad an attempt to contain its ambitions.

On whether US is considering sanctions on India over its S-400 missile deal with Russia, Austin said that nothing is on the table yet.
“They have not acquired an S-400 system (from Russia) so there is no reason for sanctions to be on the table,” he said, adding that Washington is aware of India’s interest in the military deal but nothing has been delivered yet.
Earlier today, Austin held wide-ranging talks with defence minister Rajnath Singh and said elevating the Indo-US defence partnership is a “priority” of the Biden administration.
He said that India is an increasingly important partner amid rapidly shifting international dynamics and a “central pillar” in Washington’s approach towards the region.
“I reaffirmed our commitment to a comprehensive and forward-looking defence partnership with India as a central pillar of our approach to the region,” he said earlier.

Austin arrived in New Delhi late Friday and held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
Austin told PM Modi that he “commended India’s leadership role in the Indo-Pacific and growing engagement with like-minded partners across the region to promote shared goals,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
(With inputs from agencies)