REUTERS
March 20, 2021 at 17:50 JST
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sit to deliver a joint press statement in New Delhi, India, on March 20. (AP Photo)
NEW DELHI--The United States would like to elevate and strengthen security ties with India, especially in information sharing and logistics, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Indian counterpart on Saturday.
Austin is making the first visit by a top member of U.S. President Joe Biden's administration to India as part of efforts to forge an alliance of countries seeking to push back against China's assertiveness in the region.
The leaders of the United States, India, Australia and Japan - countries together known as the Quad - held a first summit last week pledging to work together for a free and open Indo-Pacific and to cooperate on maritime and cyber security in the face of challenges from China.
"India, in particular, is an increasingly important partner among today's rapidly shifting international dynamics," Austin said after meeting Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
"We discussed opportunities to elevate the U.S.-India major defence partnership, which is a priority of the Biden-Harris administration. And we'll do that through regional security cooperation and military to military interactions and defence trade."
Singh said their meeting focused on "expanding military-to-military engagement across services, information-sharing, cooperation in emerging sectors of defence, and mutual logistics support".
He also urged U.S. industry to invest in India's defence sector, citing what he called liberalised foreign direct investment policies.
Austin met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival in New Delhi on Friday. He leaves on Sunday.
"India and US are committed to our strategic partnership that is a force for global good," Modi said on Twitter.
India drew closer to the United States last year following a deadly border clash with China. Washington has helped New Delhi, leasing surveillance drones and supplying cold-weather gear for Indian troops. (Reporting by Aditi Shah and Nigam Prusty; Editing by Kim Coghill)
India, U.S. clinch defense pact on satellite data as Pompeo, Esper hold talks
October 27, 2020
U.S. defense chief Austin likely to visit India soon — India gov’t source
March 7, 2021
1st U.S. ministers’ Japan visit under Biden to focus on China
March 15, 2021
Japan, U.S. share China worry as ministers meet in Tokyo
March 17, 2021
India adds 5 French-made fighter jets in military upgrade
September 10, 2020
U.S. holds naval exercises with allies in Asia amid China tension
July 22, 2020
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global.
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
