CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii – On Nov. 28-29, Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Command Lt. Gen. Bryan Fenton met with Indian Chief of Integrated Defense Staff, Lt. Gen. Satish Dua during the 16th Military Cooperation Group (MCG) at Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii. Lt. Gen. Fenton and Lt. Gen. Dua co-chaired the event.
The two leaders reiterated their commitment to the strategic partnership, deepened military-to-military collaboration, and reinforcing a peaceful and stable international rules-based system, as highlighted in the joint statement following the June 2017 meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi.
There was mutual agreement that the MCG should be the primary forum for developing, implementing, and refining a 5-year mil-to-mil plan, in support of the emerging 2+2 U.S.-India ministerial dialogue and the Defense Policy Group (DPG). The MCG will take the strategic guidance from the 2+2 and DPG; formulate action plans; inform and guide service-level executive steering groups; and provide feedback to future 2+2 and DPG sessions.
Both sides welcomed the participation of U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) in this year’s MCG. The leaders agreed to continue USCENTCOM participation in subsequent MCGs to ensure coordination across the USPACOM-USCENTCOM boundary.
Both sides agreed to plan a joint service amphibious humanitarian assistance/disaster relief exercise in 2018 and a joint service counter terrorism exercise in 2019, involving a theoretical scenario to support a third country in the Indo-Pacific under a United Nations mandate.