INDO-US: CIRCLING THE WAGONS

US Secretary of defense Lloyd James Austin landed in New Delhi barely two weeks before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Washington from June 21. According to a US department of defense statement, Austin is in India "to reinforce major defence partnership and advance cooperation in critical domains" between the strategic partners. During his meeting with defence minister Rajnath Singh, a road map for defence industrial cooperation with the goal of fast-tracking technology transfer and co-production was agreed upon.

- Pradip R. Sagar

"This initiative aims to change the paradigm for cooperation between the US and Indian defence sectors, including specific proposals that could provide India access to cutting-edge technologies and support India's defence modernisation plans," the DoD statement said, adding that both Austin and Rajnath were committed to supporting India's leading role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific. They discussed new opportunities to strengthen information-sharing and increase maritime cooperation.