Defence ties between India, US closest ever now, says Carter

WASHINGTON: Days ahead of his visit to India, US defence secretary Ashton Carter on Sunday said the defence ties between the world’s two largest democracies has never been as close as it is now, with their militaries exercising together by air, land and sea like never before.

“The US-India defence relationship is the closest it’s ever been. Through our strategic handshake – with America reaching west in the re-balance, and India reaching east in what Prime Minister Modi calls his Act East policy – our two nations are exercising together by air, land and sea like never before,” Carter said in his address to the Regan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California.

Slated to be in India on December 8, Carter would travel to Japan, Bahrain, Israel, Italy and the UK.

This is for the first time that an outgoing American defence secretary has included India in his itinerary for the final overseas trip.

“We also have a technological handshake – as the US- India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative, grasps hands with Prime Minister Modi’s Make in India campaign – that’s helping our countries move toward more diverse co-development and co-production of weapons systems,” Carter said.

Carter would meet defence minister Manohar Parrikar and other leaders during his trip to New Delhi.

“He (Carter) will look to build on the strategic handshake between the two nations and to continue the momentum in the relationship over the past decade, including expanded defence cooperation during his time as secretary,” the Pentagon had said in a statement last week.PTI