US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday expressed his nation’s robust need to additional deepen strategic ties with India to deal with the “most urgent” challenges going through the Indo-Pacific as he started a three-day go to to the nation that’s geared toward increasing cooperation with shut companions amidst China’s rising assertiveness within the area.

Austin, who arrived right here as a part of his three-nation first abroad tour because the Defence Secretary, known as on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and mentioned worldwide, regional and bilateral problems with mutual curiosity, following which Modi tweeted that India and the US are dedicated to their strategic partnership that could be a “power for international good”.

The US defence Secretary additionally held wide-ranging discussions with Nationwide Safety Advisor Ajit Doval and nearly all key problems with mutual issues, together with China’s aggressive behaviour within the area are learnt to have figured within the deliberations.

After the Prime Minister’s discussions with Austin, a PMO assertion stated the US Defence Secretary reiterated Washington’s continued dedication in direction of strengthening the bilateral defence ties and “expressed robust need” to additional improve the strategic partnership for peace, stability and prosperity within the Indo-Pacific area and past.

“Pleasure to fulfill US Sec Def Lloyd Austin at the moment. Conveyed my finest needs to POTUS Joe Biden. India and US are dedicated to our strategic partnership that could be a power for international good,” Modi tweeted.

Austin’s go to is seen as a mirrored image of the Joe Biden administration’s robust dedication to ties with its shut Asian allies and companions. Austin visited Japan and South Korea earlier than India.

“Thrilled to be right here in India. The breadth of cooperation between our two nations displays the importance of our main protection partnership, as we work collectively to deal with probably the most urgent challenges going through the Indo-Pacific area,” the US Defence Secretary tweeted.

A readout by the US authorities stated Secretary Austin counseled India’s management position within the Indo-Pacific and rising engagement with like-minded companions throughout the area to advertise shared targets.

“The 2 sides reaffirmed their dedication to advertise a free and open regional order. Each side exchanged views on shared challenges confronting the area and dedicated to additional strengthen their broad ranging and sturdy defence cooperation,” it stated.

Welcoming Austin, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated his go to to India is certainly going to additional deepen the cooperation and partnership between two nations.

“Trying ahead to our assembly tomorrow,” Singh tweeted.

On Saturday, Austin will lay a wreath at Nationwide Struggle Memorial within the morning, and can be given a guard of honour at Vigyan Bhavan earlier than his talks with Singh, officers stated.

Methods to additional speed up India-US strategic ties, boosting cooperation within the Indo-Pacific, China’s aggressive behaviour in japanese Ladakh, problem of terrorism and the Afghan peace course of are anticipated to be focus of the talks between Austin and Singh, individuals accustomed to the US official’s go to stated.

They stated India’s plan to obtain round 30 multi-mission armed Predator drones from the US for the three companies at an estimated price of over USD 3 billion can also be anticipated to determine within the talks.

The medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) Predator-B drones, manufactured by US defence main Normal Atomics, are able to remaining airborne for round 35 hours and might seek out targets at land and sea, they stated.

India’s plan to accumulate 114 fighter jets at a value of round USD 18 billion might additionally determine within the talks as American defence majors –Boeing and Lockheed -Martin– are eyeing it, the individuals stated.

His go to to India got here days after the highest management of the Quad grouping of India, the US, Japan and Australia vowed to broaden their cooperation within the Indo-Pacific area.

Forward of Austin’s go to, Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the highly effective Senate Overseas Relations Committee, wrote a letter to the US Defence Secretary, urging him to take up with Indian leaders the problem of New Delhi procuring Russian S-400 missile defence system.

Although democracy and human rights points don’t come underneath the area of the Pentagon, Menendez additionally urged Austin to boost these issues with Indian leaders.

In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion take care of Russia to purchase 5 models of the S-400 air defence missile methods, however a warning from the Trump administration that going forward with the contract could invite US sanctions.

Lately, the US imposed sanctions on Turkey underneath the Countering America’s Adversaries By Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for buy of S-400 missiles from Russia.

The evolving scenario within the Indo-Pacific area within the wake of China’s rising navy muscle flexing has change into a significant speaking level amongst main international powers. The US has been favouring making Quad a safety structure to test China’s rising assertiveness.

The go to can also be going down at a time when India and China wish to obtain the target of disengagement from all friction factors in japanese Ladakh after finishing withdrawal of troops within the North and South banks of Pangong lake areas.

Austin and Singh had a telephonic dialog on January 27.

The Indo-US defence ties have been on an upswing in the previous couple of years.

In June 2016, the US had designated India a “Main Defence Associate”.

The 2 nations have additionally inked key defence and safety pacts over the previous few years, together with the Logistics Alternate Memorandum of Settlement (LEMOA) in 2016 that enables their militaries use one another’s bases for restore and replenishment of provides in addition to gives for deeper cooperation.

The 2 sides have additionally signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Safety Settlement) in 2018 that gives for interoperability between the 2 militaries and gives on the market of excessive finish know-how from the US to India.

In October final yr, India and the US sealed the BECA (Fundamental Alternate and Cooperation Settlement) settlement to additional enhance bilateral defence ties. The pact gives for sharing of high-end navy know-how, logistics and geospatial maps between the 2 nations.