Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra travelled to Washington, DC, United States, between April 10 and 12. Kwatra has engaged in meetings with numerous high-ranking officials from the United States, such as Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks.
These meetings aimed to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the advancements made in strengthening the bilateral strategic relations. Additionally, they discussed their collaborative endeavours in fostering stability and security within the Indo-Pacific region.
According to the embassy’s press release, while in Washington, DC, the Foreign Secretary engaged in discussions with Deputy Secretary Richard Verma and Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell at the State Department, along with other high-ranking officials. Additionally, he participated in discussions with important counterparts at the National Security Council, as well as the departments of defense, commerce, and energy.
According to Pentagon spokesperson Eric Pahon, Hicks and Kwatra held a discussion regarding the priorities to enhance the defence partnership between the US and India. They emphasized the importance of implementing the roadmap for the US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation, while also acknowledging the significant progress made in the Major Defence Partnership. The officials highlighted their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, as stated in an official statement.
The officials praised the collaborative efforts of both nations in enhancing the production of fighter jet engines and armoured vehicles, along with the ongoing achievements of the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) in fostering innovation and alliances between the two countries.
