Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI:India and the US will focus on further cranking up operational military cooperation in the critical Indo-Pacific region as well as discuss defence-industrial collaboration in jet engines and emerging military technologies like cyber, space and artificial intelligence during US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin’s visit here in early-June.
Austin is slated to hold delegation-level talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on June 5 during his Indo-Pacific trip, ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s official state visit to the US from June 21, leading newspapers reported on May 27 quoting officials.
The Pentagon in Washington has said Austin will meet with key leaders during his trip, which will also include visits to Japan and Singapore, to advance US defence partnerships across the region in support of “our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, anchored in ASEAN centrality”.
On the India leg, the Pentagon said, “This visit provides an opportunity to accelerate new defence innovation and industrial cooperation initiatives and drive ongoing efforts to expand operational cooperation between the US and Indian militaries.”
