US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday described India as "an important partner", saying free nations should unite to face the challenges from China to India and other countries in Asia.
"I think that the whole world is coalescing around the challenge that we face (from China)... I am confident that democracies, the free nations of the world, will push back on these," he said while replying to a question about the Chinese confrontation with India in the Ladakh region.
Pompeo was referring to the violent clashes between the Indian and Chinese armies last month in Eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley region. At least 20 personnel of the Indian Army were killed in those clashes on June 15.
"They are an important partner. I've a great relationship with my counterpart (S Jaishankar), we talk frequently about a broad range of issues. We talked about the conflict they had along their border with China," said Pompeo when asked if Washington considers India as an increasingly important military and trade partner.
"You saw their (India's) decision to ban many Chinese software firms from operating software on mobile phones in their country," added Pompeo.
On China's claims to the maritime territories of Asian countries and aggressive actions there, he said that the US "will use the tools we have, we will support all countries across the world that recognise that China has violated their territorial claims, their maritime claims as well. We will provide them with assistance".
China has maritime conflicts with Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan and Taiwan and has increased its aggressive conduct in the region even as its troops clashed with the Indian Army in Ladakh.
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