US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter visits India.

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

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

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

The Indian Ministry of Defence statement said this was Carter's first visit to India since becoming US Secretary of Defence. However, he had previously visited India in 2012 and 2013 when he was US Deputy Secretary of Defence.

He is the "chief architect" of the India-U.S. Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) and a key advocate for policies that consider India the closest partner in technology transfer programs, co-development, co-production in the defense sector, and other bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

The most important item on the agenda during Secretary Carter's visit was the signing of a 10-year extension of the framework agreement on defense cooperation between India and the United States, which was agreed upon by both sides during President Barack Obama's visit to India in January of this year. Under this agreement, the two sides focus on cooperation in areas ranging from maritime security and aircraft carriers to fighter jet engine manufacturing technology and joint exercises.

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

In addition, India and the US will explore the possibility of cooperating in the development of advanced missile systems, as well as proposing joint development of military equipment and discussing the possibility of preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

U.S. officials said that during his visit to India's Eastern Naval Command, Secretary Carter toured the Shivalik-class stealth destroyer and the Indian-built INS Sahyadri. This demonstrates the Pentagon's high regard for the importance of India's naval modernization policy.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last weekend, Secretary Carter stated that the U.S. is seeking new ways to complement India's "Act East" policy and explore areas of effective cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

(Source: indianexpress.com/TTO)