Ahead of Modi’s visit, US defence secretary to travel to India next week

New Delhi: US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin is arriving New Delhi on June 4 next week. America's top defence official will visit the country during a four-nation tour with visits to Japan, Singapore, and France.

US Defence Department said in a press statement, "After Singapore, secretary Austin will visit New Delhi to meet with defense minister Rajnath Singh and other leaders as the United States and India continue to modernize the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership. This visit provides an opportunity to accelerate new defense innovation and industrial cooperation initiatives and drive ongoing efforts to expand operational cooperation between the U.S. and Indian militaries."

Ely Ratner, Assistant Secretary for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs in the department of defense said, India and the US are now more strategically aligned than ever before and there is a clear directive from the top political leadership in the American system that the defence relationship with India was top priority and could not continue in "business-as-usual" mode. 

He also hinted at major announcements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the US on June 22, and expressed categorical support for co-production and co-development of defence systems to strengthen India's indigenous capabilities. 

This will be Austin's second trip to India and his seventh visit to the Indo-Pacific since taking office in January 2021. He is travelling to Tokyo and then Singapore, where he will address the Shangrila dialogue before heading to New Delhi on June 4.

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