US in touch with India regarding 'over-the-horizon' support: Blinken

By Reena Bhardwaj
Washington [US], September 14 : The United States is in touch with India regarding the over-the-horizon capabilities and plans, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Congress.
The so-called over-the-horizon capabilities Biden has repeatedly touted make identifying and striking terrorists with aerial surveillance and drones launched from outside the country.
In the aftermath of the Afghanistan withdrawal and evacuation, the White House has promised the American people an "over-the-horizon" strategy to fight any transnational terrorism threats emanating from Afghanistan.
When asked whether the Biden administration has reached out to India as a possible staging area for future over the horizon forces capabilities, Blinken said that the Biden administration is deeply engaged with India.
President Biden and his Administration's spokesmen said that the U.S. will rely on an "over-the-horizon" (OTH) capability to identify threats and "act quickly and decisively if needed."
Congressman Mark Green of Tennessee on Monday asked whether the US reached out to India as a possible staging area for the over the horizon forces.
"I'm talking Northwest India as a potential because we all know, Qatar, and are the Doha the other places are just a little bit too far, Kuwait, all that. What about Northern India and have you reached out, have you thought about that," he said.
Replying to it, Blinken said: "Let me just say generally Congressman, we're deeply engaged with India, across the board, with regard though to any specifics about over the horizon capabilities and the plans that we put in place, it will continue to put in place."
Green appreciated Blinken's reply saying: "I am glad to at least know that there's an opportunity to talk"
"I think that's very fair and I appreciate you saying that and I'm glad to at least know that there's an opportunity to talk about that because I think that, from my standpoint is an opportunity we should, we should seize," he said.
The Biden administration's "over-the-horizon" strategy in Afghanistan is drawing serious questions from lawmakers and counterterrorism experts, as the U.S. withdrawal shifts calculations about threats and capabilities.
Critics say that Biden and his team have yet to provide sufficiently detailed plans or explanations about their counterterrorism strategy to lawmakers conducting oversight.
United States President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet later this month first-in person quad leaders meeting in Washington and are all set to have a bilateral alongside.