India and US will discuss the entire gamut of defence ties during the forthcoming two-day visit of Defence Secretary James Mattis to New Delhi starting Tuesday next. He will hold talks with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman and will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This is first visit by a Defence Secretary of the Donald Trump administration to India thereby signifying the growing strategic relations between the two nations. Mattis is also likely to meet National Security Advisor(NSA) Ajit Doval. Incidentally, it will be Sitharaman’s first engagement with a foreign counterpart since she took charge on September 3.
The US is keen to further strengthen its Defence trade ties and has already emerged as the biggest weapon supplier to India in the last one decade. The two leaders will discuss ways to encourage the US industry to forge joint ventures to produce world class weapon platforms under the ‘Make in India’ policy.
Similarly, the two countries will also make efforts to have a more robust relationship by having joint exercises at regular intervals. At present, all the three Services have exercises with the US counterparts. Mattis and Sitharaman will take stock of these exercises and ways to further promote synergy amongst the armed forces of two nations, officials said here on Saturday. The two leaders will also discuss maritime security, counter-terrorism and growing military prowess of China and its influence in South China Sea and Indian Ocean.
On the issue of US hesitation in providing critical technology to India, the two sides are likely to review the progress made in the Defence Trade and Technology Initiative(DTTI). US and India have inked a DTTI pact to share technology to manufacture weapon systems in India. However, the Indian industry and officials are of the opinion that they are not getting the best technology from the US and two leaders will take a look at this aspect, they said.
US officials said Mattis will emphasise during his talks with Sitharaman that his country views India as a valued and influential partner, with broad mutual interests extending well beyond South Asia. The secretary will also express US appreciation for India’s important contributions toward Afghan-istan’s democracy, stability, prosperity, and security.