PM Narendra Modi and US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin met as we speak
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin met as we speak after the highest Biden administration official arrived in India on a three-day go to. India is the third cease for Mr Austin throughout his three-nation hop – he went to Japan and South Korea – and the primary abroad go to by the brand new US Defence Secretary after President Joe Biden took cost.
“Pleasure to fulfill US @SecDef Lloyd Austin as we speak. Conveyed my finest needs to @POTUS @JoeBiden India and US are dedicated to our strategic partnership that may be a pressure for world good,” PM Modi tweeted, together with a photograph exhibiting him and Mr Austin seated in entrance of the US and the nationwide flag.
Pleasure to fulfill U.S. @SecDef Lloyd Austin as we speak. Conveyed my finest needs to @POTUS@JoeBiden. India and US are dedicated to our strategic partnership that may be a pressure for world good. pic.twitter.com/Z1AoGJlzFX
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2021
“Thrilled to be right here in India. The breadth of cooperation between our two nations displays the importance of our main protection partnership, as we work collectively to handle probably the most urgent challenges dealing with the Indo-Pacific area,” Mr Austin tweeted.
“Secretary Austin recommended India’s management function within the Indo-Pacific and rising engagement with like-minded companions throughout the area to advertise shared objectives. The 2 sides reaffirmed their dedication to advertise a free and open regional order. Either side exchanged views on shared challenges confronting the area and dedicated to additional strengthen their broad ranging and sturdy defence cooperation,” the US stated in a press release.
Throughout talks between Mr Austin and Indian officers, the problems which can be prone to be mentioned embody methods to speed up India-US strategic ties, boosting cooperation within the Indo-Pacific, China’s behaviour alongside the Line of Precise Management in japanese Ladakh, terrorism and the Afghan peace course of.
India’s plan to purchase some 30 armed Predator drones from the US for all of the three companies at an estimated $3 billion is predicted to determine within the talks. The Predator-B drones made by US defence agency Basic Atomics can stay airborne for 35 hours and hunt targets at land and sea.
Mr Austin additionally met with Nationwide Safety Advisor Ajit Doval tonight. He’ll meet with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tomorrow. A gathering with International Minister S Jaishankar can be seemingly.
One thorny issue expected to come up is India’s deliberate buy of Russian S-400 air defence techniques which below US legislation can appeal to sanctions. Washington has imposed sanctions on Turkey for getting that tools.
The chairman of the US Senate International Relations Committee, Bob Menendez, urged Mr Austin to clarify to India officers the Biden administration’s opposition to deal, information company Reuters reported.
India’s plan to purchase 114 fighter jets for $18 billion may additionally determine within the talks as American defence majors – Boeing and Lockheed-Martin – are eyeing it, information company PTI reported.
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