Washington

Noting engagements with a diverse range of governments on shared challenges that promote a common vision upholding the UN charter, the United States on Thursday termed the I2U2 grouping a "fascinating new partnership" that works in the areas of health and food security.

The grouping of India, Israel, UAE, and the USA dubbed "I2U2" is projected by commentators as the Quad for West Asia. I2U2 aims to encourage joint investments in six mutually identified areas such as water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security.

Speaking at Georgetown University about the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration's national security strategy, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, "We are trying creative arrangements all over the world. Creative, purposeful, and entrepreneurial ways like I2U2 is a fascinating new partnership between India, Israel, the US and UAE- to work in areas of water space, health and food security."

The US "is working with a diverse range of governments with shared challenges that promote a common vision," he said.

NSA Sullivan also hailed the Quad grouping which focuses on the Indo-Pacific for maritime domain awareness. Quad and partnership with pacific Island nations help to address illegal fishing practices and build capacity to respond to disasters, he highlighted in his remarks.

Earlier, as the Biden administration released a key policy document on national security, Security Advisor Sullivan noted that China represents America's most consequential geopolitical challenge to the United States.

The congressionally mandated document states that both China and Russia, who announced a "no-limits partnership" this year, are increasingly aligned with each other but the challenges they pose are distinct.

The policy document contends that competition with China is most pronounced in the Indo-Pacific, but it is also increasingly global.

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"We stand now at the inflection point, where the choices we make and the priorities we pursue today will set us on a course that determines our competitive position long into the future," the document says.