Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Jedidiah P. Royal; U.S.                                                                                                                    Embassy New Delhi Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Ambassador A. Elizabeth Jones; Major General Julian C. Cheater,                                                                                                                   Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs; and Senior Defense Official and                                                                                                                      Defense Attaché Rear Admiral Michael Baker at a press conference in Bengaluru on the U.S. participation at                                                               Aero India 2023.

Speaking with select media on the eve of Aero India, Jones said that both democracies support a ‘free and open, rules-based Indo-Pacific’ region. What was the threat to ‘free and open’ Indo Pacific, and who decided the ‘rules-based’ order, was not explained by the US delegation. The closest response to this intriguing threat came from the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo Pacific security affairs, Jedidiah P. Royal. According to him, for 75 years Indo Pacific has been a peaceful region; the US and India want to ensure it stays that way. On prodding, a rather exasperated Royal remarked to me that both you and I know what we are talking about.