US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to visit India next week, Indo-Pacific talks on agenda

The US Secretary of Defence Llloyd Austin will visit India from March 19 to 21 and will hold discussions with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.

In the first overseas trip of a senior member of the new Biden Administration, US Secretary of Defence Llloyd Austin will be in India from March 19 to 21. During his visit, Secretary Lloyd Austin will hold discussions with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh on the bilateral defence ties as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest. “Both sides are expected to discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and exchange views on regional security challenges and common interests in maintaining a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region,” a government statement said. Discussions regarding defence cooperation would also focus on how both countries could consolidate military-to-military cooperation and defence trade and industry cooperation.