Rajnath Singh heads to USA for defence dialogue with Lloyd Austin

Rajnath Singh in USA: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set for a four-day visit to the United States of America to meet his US counterpart Lloyd Austin to discuss the areas of strategic interest. On X.com, Singh informed that he will be visiting Washington DC to strengthen defence cooperation between India and the United States. 

"Leaving for Washington. India and the United States share a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Looking forward to meeting my friend @SecDef Austin. Will discuss areas of strategic interests, while seeking to strengthen defence cooperation," Defence Minister tweeted. 

During the visit, Singh will also meet US Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Jake Sullivan. 

Announcing Singh’s visit to the USA from August 23 to August 26, the Ministry of Defence said, “The visit is expected to further deepen and broaden the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership."

"The visit comes in the backdrop of the growing momentum in India-US relations and defence engagements at multiple levels," added the Ministry.

According to media reports, the visit may also focus on the delays in the supply of GE-404 engines that can affect the induction of HALs’ Light Combat choppers Tejas Mk-1A by the Indian Air Force. The Defence Minister will also interact with other key defence manufacturers of the United States to reinforce the Make in India initiative as a part of the military-industrial cooperation pact, signed between the two nations in June 2023. 

Apart from that, Singh is also likely to discuss the measures to improve expansive bilateral strategic-military ties which include improving security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. 

Defence Minister’s visit was followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Russia visit which caused ripples in the White House.