Category: Defence Intelligence

Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

PHILIPPINES  –  

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP) and the Chemical Security and Elimination (CSE) program in partnership with partner-nation, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) held a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony announcing the construction of a National Virtual Training Center (NVTC) on February 21, 2024. Host government officials from the Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government along with the Public Safety College and University of the Philippines were in attendance in a show of support for the eight-year partnership with DTRA, and in solidarity with peaceful efforts that aim to counter weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and emerging threats.

In continued partnership with the GPH, the DTRA-designed and -constructed NVTC will provide a platform for the Philippine nation to improve the safety and security of public and veterinary health facilities. This effort will also enhance biosafety, biosecurity, detection of pathogens and chemical security to the country and region by providing a training facility to enhance the training curriciulum of the Philippines. The facility will increase the capacity and capability of trainings across multiple disciplines of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear security and counter WMD missions.

“This facility will house a lecture hall for classroom-setting trainings, a practical biolgical diagnostics laboratory classroom for hands-on biosafety and biosecurity trainings, and a virtual reality room equipped with headsets to provide an opportunity to train virtually on a chemical security curriculum,” stated Corey Erff, program manager for this Cooperative Threat Effort.

BTRP and CSE have worked with GPH departments to develop a concept of operations to ensure the facility promotes long-term, sustainable threat reduction efforts. With DTRA completing construction of the NVTC, the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippines Public Safety College will take ownership of the facility.

This project, and any future collaboration, is being carried out by the United States in close collaboration with the Philippine government, ensuring strict adherence to Philippine laws. By working together, these projects will continue to ensure the safety and well-being of Filipino citizens.

DTRA provides cross-cutting solutions to enable the Department of Defense, the United States Government, and international partners to Deter strategic attack against the United States and its allies; Prevent, reduce, and counter WMD and emerging threats; and Prevail against WMD-armed adversaries in crisis and conflict.

Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

NEW DELHI — Adm. John C. Aquilino, Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, visited India on an overseas trip from Feb. 21-24, 2024, where he met with senior military and government leaders, and participated in discussions at the Raisina Dialogue and the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit.

Aquilino met with External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, reaffirming the importance of the United States-India strategic partnership between the two nations.  

During his visit, Aquilino spoke on the Raisina Dialogue panel “From the Aegean Sea to the South China Sea: Responding to Maritime Sieges”, alongside Adm. R Hari Kumar, Chief of Naval Staff, India, Adm. Nicolas Vaujour, Chief of the Naval Staff, France, Adm. Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, United Kingdom, and Air Marshal Robert Chipman, Chief of the Air Force, Australia.

The Raisina Dialogue is an annual conference hosted by Observer Research Foundation in partnership with India’s Ministry of External Affairs. The multi-day event included lectures and open-forum discussions on geopolitics, geo-economics and security, bringing together leaders from the military, politics, business, media and civil sectors.

During the panel, Aquilino underscored the importance of partnerships to the safeguarding of sovereignty and territorial integrity in order to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific for all.  

“What we’re seeing here today… it’s when we come together and operate together to deliver that conventional deterrence that prevents [conflict],” said Aquilino. “Our nations coming together to articulate a position that says we are unwilling to accept the forceful imposition of rules that counter what we believe in and what we stand for, and that doesn’t benefit anybody across the globe. … We have to do all of those things to protect our force, to protect the free flow of commerce, and we have to do it together.”

While in India, Aquilino also spoke during a panel at INDUS-X, which is an initiative between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Indian Ministry of Defense to expand strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the two countries’ governments, businesses and academic institutions. The discussion highlighted the importance of capability development and interoperability between the U.S. and India, and included Defence Secretary Aramane, Amb. Atul Keshap, president of U.S.-India Business Council and senior vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Rexon Ryu, president of the Asia Group.

The U.S. and India continue to strengthen and move forward the strategic and unique Major Defense Partner relationship through exercises, information sharing and shared emphasis on the rules-based international order.