US defence chief Lloyd J Austin to visit India on March 19
By Anish Kumar | First Published Mar 10, 2021, 7:03 PM ISTUS Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin's visit would commence a day after leaders of India, Australia, Japan and the US hold their first "Leaders Summit" on March 12 in the wake of China's growing assertiveness in the strategically-vital region.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin will be arriving in India on March 19 to hold a discussion on advancing cooperation between two countries for a free, prosperous and open Indo-Pacific and western Indian Ocean Region.
His visit would commence a day after leaders of India, Australia, Japan and the US hold their first "Leaders Summit" on March 12 in the wake of China's growing assertiveness in the strategically-vital region.
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In a series of tweets, the US Secretary of Defense said, "I will travel to India to meet with my counterpart, Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh, and other senior national security leaders to discuss deepening the US-India Major Defense Partnership and advancing cooperation between our countries."
In a quote retweet, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Looking forward to your visit, Secretary Austin."
He will be visiting Japan, Korea and India to meet with his counterparts and other senior officials to discuss the importance of international defence relationships, and reinforce the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region -- founded on respect for international rules, laws and norms, the US Department of Defense said in a statement.
In India, Austin will meet his counterpart Rajnath Singh, and other senior national security leaders to discuss deepening the US-India Major Defense Partnership.
He will also hold discussions on Indo-Pacific and Western Indian Ocean Region.
In his first leg of the tour, Austin will visit US Indo-Pacific Command Headquarters in Hawaii, wherein he will meet with US troops and senior commanders and highlight his vision for the Indo-Pacific region as a priority theatre for the Department.
After Hawaii, he will visit Japan where US Department of State Secretary Antony Blinken join him for the US-Japan Security Consultative Committee ("2+2").
In his third leg to visit, he will embark to the Republic of Korea with his colleague Blinken.
They will attend a US-ROK Foreign and Defense Ministerial ("2+2") "to reaffirm the US ironclad commitment to the security of the Republic of Korea, and emphasize that the US–ROK alliance remains a linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity in Northeast Asia, a free and open Indo-Pacific, and around the world, it said.
Last month, foreign ministers of QUAD nations held a virtual meeting, wherein they agreed to work toward a "free and open Indo-Pacific" region while strongly opposing any attempts by Beijing to alter the status quo in the East and South China seas by force.
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