The chief of defence staff Bipin Rawat and his US counterpart General Mark Milley met on Thursday and discussed issues related to regional security and their roles as principal military advisors, news agency PTI reported citing the Pentagon.
president Joe Biden at the White House. “The two leaders agreed to continue cooperation in training exercises and create more opportunities to increase interoperability between the two militaries,” Joint Staff Spokesperson Col. Dave Butler said.
General Milley and Mrs Milley, ahead of the meeting, welcomed CDS Rawat during an Armed Forces full honour arrival ceremony on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. He also thanked CDS Rawat for contributing to the strengthening of the defence partnership between the US and India.
“The US and India share a strong military-to-military relationship under the US-India Major Defence Partnership, which supports a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Butler added.
According to the White House fact sheet, the US aims to further strengthen its defence partnership with India, continue the progress made as Major Defence Partners. The fact sheet also highlighted US’ to bolster its relationship with the Indian military and said that the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) agreement signed between both nations in July this year points towards that commitment.
Under the DTTI, both nations will co-develop air-launched unmanned aerial vehicles. It currently encompasses four working groups. Another meeting will take place later this year to expand defence industrial collaboration.
Both nations, during the meeting between PM Modi and US president Joe Biden, also committed to ensuring a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s rising military power in the region. China continues to claim nearly all of the disputed South China Sea despite Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claiming parts of it.
