US needs to increase engagement with India, Brazil: official

The US needs to increase its engagement with rising powers like India and Brazil, a top Pentagon policy official has said.
The US needs to continue to engage with Russia and also increase engagements with other rising powers, such as India and Brazil, James N Miller, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, said.
Miller left this Pentagon position, held by him since May 2012, yesterday.
In December, Miller had a meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh during which they discussed bilateral defense ties.
In an interview to the American Forces Press Service, Miller said US national security strategy is based on global engagement and the re-balance of US strategy to the Asia- Pacific region is recognition of this fact.

As such, US is strengthening alliances and partnerships in the region, he noted.

Engagement with China is a central part of the re-balance, Miller said.
"While the military is not the only element...Increasing the percentage of our forces and the quality of our forces that go to the Pacific are key elements," he said.
The outgoing top Pentagon official said sustaining global leadership also means sustaining global presence in other regions and building the capacity of partners in the Middle East and Africa is an important aspect of US military engagement.
Miller told the American Forces Press Service that the US military partnership with Israel has never been stronger and America continues a presence in the Persian Gulf.

Support for French troops in Mali last year and continuing efforts to build counter-terrorism capabilities - most notably in Yemen and Libya - are good examples, he said.