Visiting US Defence Secretary Esper accorded Guard of Honour

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his US counterpart Mark T Esper held extensive talks, covering various aspects of fast-expanding defence and strategic ties, including ways to further deepen military-to-military cooperation, between the two countries.

New Delhi: US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper, who arrived in India along with Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to participate in the third India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, was accorded the Guard of Honour at the South Block on Monday.

Ahead of Tuesday's 2+2 ministerial dialogue, Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh held talks with Mark Esper. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh were also present at the meeting.

Taking to Twitter, Defence minister Rajnath Singh wrote, “India is delighted to host the US Secretary of Defence, Dr Mark Esper. Our talks today were fruitful, aimed at further deepening defence cooperation in a wide range of areas”.

Today’s discussions will add new vigour to India-US defence relations & cooperation, he added.

Before the start of the meeting, keeping coronavirus spread in mind, US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster greeted General Bipin Rawat and Admiral Karambir Singh with elbow bumps.

External Affairs Minister is also slated to hold bilateral talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the sidelines of the 2+2 Ministerial meeting. Later today, Minister Jaishankar, Singh will also host the dinner for the visiting delegates.

The third US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue demonstrates the high-level commitment the two countries provide to shared diplomatic and security objectives, US State Department said on Sunday.

The India-US 2+2 talks will focus on four themes -- regional security cooperation, defence information sharing, military-to-military interactions, and defence trade, the US State Department said.

The talk will focus on advancing the Indo-US comprehensive global strategic partnership and further strengthening cooperation to promote stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world.

The first two 2+2 Ministerial dialogues had been held in New Delhi in September 2018 and Washington DC in 2019.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Esper arrived here on Monday on a two-day visit for the third edition of Indo-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue which will take place on Tuesday during which the two sides will focus on further boosting overall defence and security ties as well as cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Indian side at the 2+2 dialogue would be led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Singh.

The talks are taking place at a time India is engaged in bitter border skirmishes with China, and the issue is expected to figure in the deliberations.

The two key officials of the Trump administration will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and meet National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday.

Before Pompeo's visit, the US State Department said the US welcomes India's emergence as a leading regional and global power. "The United States welcomes India's emergence as a leading regional and global power. The United States looks forward to collaborating closely with India during its upcoming term on the UN Security Council," the State Department said.

It is expected that the two sides may finalise the long-pending BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties. The BECA will provide for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries.