efense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh engaged in productive discussions today, focusing on the dynamic expansion of the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership and its role in fostering a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Their conversation built on the achievements of the Fifth Annual U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue held in November 2023, which saw notable advancements in bilateral defense cooperation, including support for India’s military modernization and collaborative efforts to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.
The officials also highlighted the successes of the second India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit that took place in New Delhi in February 2024. This summit was particularly significant for showcasing the innovative defense technologies emerging from the collaboration between the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Indian Ministry of Defense’s Innovations for Defense Excellence (iDEX).
Both Austin and Singh expressed optimism about the potential for future in-person meetings and reiterated their dedication to deepening the Major Defense Partnership, underlining their commitment to a vision of an open and secure Indo-Pacific.–Web Desk