Biden pledges NATO-like military presence in Indo-Pacific

In his first address to joint session of Congress, US  President Joe Biden has said that The US will “maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific” just as it does with NATO in Europe, and it will retain an “over-the-horizon” capability as it leaves Afghanistan in September. Biden recalled major accomplishments of his first 100 days in office such as a rescue plan and laid out his agenda for the remainder of his term that many experts described as the most progressive for a Democratic president in decades. “America is on the move again,” he said as he started his speech that was focused mostly on domestic issues, such as the handling of the pandemic, economic recovery, healthcare expansion, gun rights reforms, immigration policy, eradication of child poverty, raising the minimum wage to $15, equal pay for women, among others.

Not to start conflict – but to prevent conflict, the US president said he told China’s President Xi Jinping when the latter had called to congratulate him. Reasserting his tough stand on China, Biden,  said, “America will stand up to unfair trade practices that undercut American workers and industries, like subsidies for state-owned enterprises and the theft of American technologies and intellectual property.” On Afghanistan, a major policy issue for the Biden administration that India is following closely, the American president said, “After 20 years of American valour and sacrifice, it’s time to bring our troops home. Even as we do, we will maintain an over-the-horizon capability to suppress future threats to the homeland.” “But make no mistake - the terrorist threat has evolved beyond Afghanistan since 2001, and we will remain vigilant against threats to the United States, wherever they come from,” Biden said.