US Defence Secretary Arrives In India With Focus On Expanding Strategic, Security Ties

India is the third stop for Lloyd Austin during his three-nation first overseas visit as the US Defence Secretary, and the visit is seen as a reflection of the Joe Biden administration's strong commitment to its relations with its close allies and partners in the region.

In the first visit by a top Biden administration official, US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin arrived in India today on a three-day visit, aimed at further boosting bilateral defence and security ties in the wake of China's growing military assertiveness in the region including in the Indo-Pacific. India is the third stop for Lloyd Austin during his three-nation first overseas visit as the US Defence Secretary, and the visit is seen as a reflection of the Joe Biden administration's strong commitment to its relations with its close allies and partners in the region. The US defence secretary visited Japan and South Korea before India. The US official was received at the Palam airport by senior Indian military officials and diplomats from the American embassy. Ways to further accelerate India-US strategic ties, boosting cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, China's aggressive behaviour in eastern Ladakh, challenge of terrorism and the Afghan peace process are expected to be focus of the talks between the two sides, people familiar with Secretary Austin's visit said.