US Defense Secretary begins visit to India
(VOVWORLD) - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin began a three-day visit to India on Friday, part of his first overseas trip as Defense Department chief, and the first appearance in India by a top Biden administration official.
 US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Photo: AFP/VNA |
The US Defense Secretary is expected to meet his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
High on the agenda will be the US-Indian military cooperation, defense deals to be signed imminently, and the Afghanistan peace process. Both sides are expected to discuss measures to encourage US firms to establish defense equipment manufacturing facilities in India, including a possibility of setting up joint ventures with Indian partners.
Talks will also include maritime awareness, multilateral and bilateral military drills, as well as cooperation acceleration in the Indo-Pacific region.