US discusses defence ties with Rajnath, Doval

NEW DELHI: The new US administration began its formal contacts with India’s top leadership on Wednesday, with secretary of defence Lloyd Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan reaching out to their counterparts Rajnath Singh and Ajit Doval to discuss defence cooperation and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

In an introductory telephone call from Austin to Singh, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to work together to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation. They also discussed bilateral, regional and global issues, according to a readout from the defence ministry.

The Pentagon said Austin emphasised the defence department’s commitment to the US-India Major Defence Partnership, which is built on “shared values and common interest in ensuring the Indo-Pacific remains free and open”. Austin also noted the “great strides” in bilateral defence ties and pledged to work collaboratively with Singh.

India and US highlighted the need to collectively address challenges in the post-Covid era and also agreed to work closely on key issues such as counter-terrorism and stability in the Indo-Pacific during the conversation between Doval and Sullivan, the external affairs ministry said.

The telephone calls marked the first formal contacts between the new US administration headed by President Joe Biden and India’s top leadership. Biden is also expected to speak to PM Narendra Modi as part of his ongoing outreach to world leaders.

In his conversation with Sullivan, Doval said that as “leading democracies with an abiding faith in an open and inclusive world order, India and the US were uniquely positioned to work closely on regional and international issues”, including combating terrorism, maritime security, cyber-security and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, the external affairs ministry said.