Washington, May 31 -- India is a "critical anchor" in South Asia and argued that a powerful India would help maintain the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, said US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday. In a speech to politicians and officials from across the region, Hegseth pointed to closer cooperation between India and the United States on naval matters and co-production of Javelin anti-tank guided munitions. "In South Asia, India is a critical anchor to hold the line. A powerful India acting in its own self interest advances our shared goal of maintaining a balance of power across the region. India is modernising its military to carry its share of the security burden, particularly in t...