US Defence Secretary to visit India, hold talks with Rajnath Singh

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will arrive in New Delhi on Sunday on a two-day visit to India, more than two weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Washington.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Austin will hold talks on Monday on several issues related to bilateral defence cooperation, the Indian defence ministry said on Saturday.

Austin will reach India from Singapore. It will be his second visit to India after March 2021.

German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius will also visit New Delhi for bilateral talks with Singh that will take place on June 6. He too will come from Singapore.

A host of bilateral defence cooperation issues, with a focus on industrial cooperation, are likely to be discussed during Singh’s meetings with Austin and Pistorius, an official said.

(With agency inputs)