Rajnath Singh. Image Source: IANS News
New Delhi, Aug 21: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit the United States on an official visit from August 23 to 26 at the invitation of US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin to further enhance the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
The four-day visit, starting Friday, is part of the growing momentum in India-US relations, especially in the defence sector.
During his visit, Rajnath Singh will hold a bilateral meeting with the US Defence Secretary to discuss various aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
Apart from this important meeting, the Defence Minister will also meet Jake Sullivan, US Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, to discuss broader strategic issues.
The visit underlines the deepening military-to-military ties between India and the US, which both countries consider vital for stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
During his visit, Rajnath Singh will chair a high-level roundtable with representatives of the US defence industry to discuss ongoing and future collaboration in defence manufacturing and technology.
The engagement is expected to strengthen industrial ties and foster new partnerships in the defence sector.
The Defence Minister will also take advantage of the opportunity to interact with the Indian community in the US, thereby strengthening people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Last week, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh emphasised the importance of the India-US partnership, especially in the light of the National Defence Strategy (NDS) which focuses on the Indo-Pacific and the strategic challenge posed by China.
“The relationship with India is very important. It is also very important for the Indo-Pacific,” she said at a press conference.
Rajnath Singh’s visit marks a high-level engagement between India and the US since Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in for his third term in June this year.
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