[ad_1]
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi on Monday and both leaders are holding a bilateral meeting for discussions about strengthening the Defense partnership between the two countries. Austin arrived in India on Sunday for a two-day visit to discuss ways to expand bilateral strategic engagement ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington. Prior to the meeting, The United States Secretary of Defense inspected the Tri-Service Guard of Honor in the presence of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in the national capital.
#WATCH , Defense Minister Rajnath Singh holds a bilateral meeting with The United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in Delhi pic.twitter.com/4wihHkZ7cr
— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2023
Austin and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh were expected to discuss a number of new defense cooperation projects that will be unveiled after Modi’s meeting with President Joe Biden in Washington two weeks later.
I’m returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defense Partnership.
Together, we’re advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com/P73Oy2npDx
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) June 4, 2023
General Electric’s proposal to share fighter jet engine technology with India, as well as India’s plan to purchase 30 MQ-9B armed drones from US defense major General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) for more than USD 3 billion, are likely to be discussed during the talks.
Under the framework of technology transfer, India has been seeking to manufacture jet engines in India to power its fighter aircraft.
China’s aggressive behavior in the Indo-Pacific and along the Line of Actual Control, as well as ways to combat the threat of terrorism, are likely to be discussed by Singh and Austin.
The Pentagon said this week that Austin will deepen the US-India ‘Major Defense Partnership’ as the two countries’ ties enter a “new and exciting chapter.”
The US Defense Secretary arrived in India from Singapore on Sunday for a two-day visit, according to the defense ministry.
This is Austin’s second visit to India. His last trip to India was in March of 2021.
German Defense Minister To Meet Rajnath Singh On Tuesday
Separately, Boris Pistorius, Germany’s Federal Minister of Defence, will arrive in India on Monday for a four-day visit.
According to the ministry, the German Federal Minister of Defense will also visit New Delhi on June 6 for bilateral talks with Singh.
It is expected that a variety of bilateral defense cooperation issues, with a focus on industrial cooperation, will be discussed during Singh’s meetings with Austin and Pistorius.
“US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and German Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius are visiting New Delhi for bilateral talks with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
[ad_2]
Source link