US Defence Secy Lloyd Austin to reach India today, meet Rajnath, Jaishankar in first visit

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi late on Friday afternoon as part of his first overseas trip that also took him to Japan and South Korea. Austin is expected to meet NSA Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar.

Ways to further strengthen India-US strategic ties, boosting cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in the face of growing Chinese assertiveness and the Afghan peace process are expected to be the key focus areas in talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin on Saturday, people familiar with the development said Thursday. Secretary Austin is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi late on Friday afternoon as part of his first overseas trip that also took him to Japan and South Korea. The US Defence Secretary is expected to meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.