US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter visits India

On June 2, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter arrived at the Eastern Naval Command, based in Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh state, beginning a two-day official visit to India..

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter (left) and his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrika. (Source: indianexpress.com)

As scheduled, on the evening of June 2, Secretary Carter will arrive in New Delhi and will meet with his counterpart Manohar Parrika, National Security Advisor Doval, Foreign Minister Sushma Swara and pay a courtesy call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This is Carter's first visit to India since becoming US defence secretary, the Indian defence ministry said in a statement. However, he had visited India in 2012 and 2013 when he was US deputy defence secretary.

He is the "chief architect" of the US-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) and a policy advocate for India as the closest partner in technology transfer, joint development, joint production in the defense sector and other bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

The most important agenda of Secretary Carter's visit is the signing of a 10-year renewal of the India-US defence cooperation framework agreement, which was agreed upon during President Barack Obama's visit to India in January this year, under which the two sides focus on cooperation in the areas of maritime security, aircraft carriers, fighter jet engine technology and joint exercises.

The India-US Defense Framework Agreement specifically mentions the DTTI, under which the two sides will jointly develop defense systems. Washington is likely to partner with New Delhi to develop a new turboprop aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

Besides, India and the US will explore the possibility of cooperation in developing modern missile systems, while making proposals for joint development of military equipment and discussing the possibility of preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

During his visit to India’s Eastern Naval Command, Secretary Carter toured the multi-purpose Shivalik-class stealth destroyer and the indigenously built INS Sahyadri, demonstrating the importance the Pentagon attaches to India’s naval modernization policy, US officials said.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore over the weekend, Secretary Carter said the US is looking for new ways to complement India's "Act East" policy and seek areas of effective cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

(Source: indianexpress.com/TTO)