Rajnath Singh Dials Llyod Austin, Discusses Enhanced Security Cooperation

NEW DELHI, (ANI) – Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dialed the US Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin on September 14 and discussed the enhanced defense and security cooperation as he raised India’s concern at the decision of the US to provide a sustenance package for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet.

In a tweet, the Defence Minister said, “Had a warm and productive telephonic conversation with the US Secretary of Defence, Mr. Lloyd Austin. We discussed the growing convergence of strategic interests and enhanced defense & security cooperation. @SecDef” “I conveyed India’s concern at the recent US decision to provide a sustenance package for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. Look forward to continuing dialogue with Secretary Austin to further consolidate India-US partnership,” he added.

The defense minister also discussed ways to strengthen technological and industrial collaboration between the two countries with his US counterpart and underlined the importance of cooperation in emerging and critical technologies.

“We also discussed ways to strengthen technological and industrial collaboration and explore cooperation in emerging and critical technologies,” Singh wrote on Twitter.

Notably, India is the centerpiece of the Joe Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy – Indian Foreign and Defence Ministers recently held the ‘2+2’ meeting with their American counterparts.

India-US bilateral partnership today encompasses a whole host of issues including the response to Covid-19, economic recovery post-pandemic, the climate crisis and sustainable development, critical and emerging technologies, supply chain resilience, education, the diaspora and defense and security.

The breadth and depth of Indo-US ties remain unmatched, and the drivers of this partnership have been growing at an unprecedented rate. The relationship remains unique insofar as this is driven at both levels: at the strategic elite as well as at the people-to-people level.