United States warns of China’s ‘historic’ military buildup, signals implications for India

WASHINGTON: The United States has issued a stark warning over China’s accelerating military expansion, calling Beijing’s defence buildup “historic” and underscoring the urgent need to revive America’s defence industrial base — a development closely watched by India amid shifting power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.

Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Washington remains “well aware” of China’s unprecedented military growth, pointing to the rapid expansion of its navy, its modernising nuclear arsenal, and its deepening security cooperation with Russia. The moderator noted that China now possesses the world’s largest navy and is modernising its strategic forces at a pace far outstripping the United States. For every eight warships China builds, the US produces fewer than two, a gap driven by Beijing’s shipbuilding capacity, which is 230% greater than America’s.

Responding to the assessment, Hegseth said the US must urgently reform its defence production ecosystem. “The most important thing we can do is look inward and rebuild our defence industrial base,” he said, adding that the Trump Administration has initiated a sweeping overhaul of acquisition systems and foreign military sales. This restructuring, he said, is a “complete game change” designed to ensure America can field advanced systems at speed and scale.

Although he did not mention India directly, the message aligns closely with New Delhi’s strategic concerns about China’s rising naval presence in the Indian Ocean, militarisation of the South China Sea, and growing military ties with Pakistan. A strengthened US defence posture is seen in India as essential to maintaining a favourable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. The two nations have also deepened cooperation through the Quad, technology partnerships, joint exercises, and maritime domain awareness initiatives.

Hegseth also detailed recent US counterterrorism and counter-narcotics operations, including a September 2 strike off Venezuela, emphasising strict adherence to laws of war despite media claims to the contrary. He further highlighted AI and autonomous systems as critical to future warfare, citing lessons from Ukraine.

The Reagan National Defense Forum remains one of America’s most influential platforms shaping national security policy amid rising global strategic competition. (IANS)

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