Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Friday to review ongoing defence cooperation between the two nations and explore strategies to enhance their collaboration further. The meeting underscored the deepening ties between India and the US in the defence sector.
Sharing details of the meeting on X (formerly Twitter), Singh expressed satisfaction with his discussion with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. He mentioned that they reviewed the current defence cooperation activities and explored ways to enhance them further.
Singh highlighted significant developments, such as the signing of Security of Supply Arrangements and an agreement to position Indian officers at key US commands, describing these as pivotal advancements in bilateral defence relations.
Excellent meeting with my dear friend @SecDef Lloyd Austin. We reviewed the existing defence cooperation activities and discussed ways to deepen it further.
The signing of Security of Supply Arrangements and the agreement for positioning of Indian officers at key US commands… pic.twitter.com/wejbKjWOHI
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 23, 2024
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin hosted an honour cordon to welcome Rajnath Singh, emphasizing the importance of the growing defence partnership between the two countries. This meeting marks another significant step in the ongoing efforts to strengthen military and strategic ties between India and the United States.
Earlier addressing the Indian diaspora at an event, Defence Minister Singh, currently on an official visit to the United States from August 23 to 26 at the invitation of US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, has praised the growing partnership between India and the US, stating that the two nations are “destined” to be strong allies.
Had a lively interaction with the Indian community at Washington DC. It’s heartwarming to see how the Indian community continues to cherish and uphold their cultural values and maintain their connection to their roots. pic.twitter.com/4qPFfzNwmX
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 23, 2024
Speaking to the Indian diaspora in Washington, Singh emphasized the natural alliance between the two countries, rooted in historical ties and shared values.
“India and the US are natural allies, we have old ties. Even destiny wants India-US relations to be strong,” Singh remarked during his address. He referenced the historical context of Christopher Columbus’s expedition, which led to the discovery of America and his encounter with native Americans, to underscore the deep-rooted connection between the two nations. “Our ties are continuously strengthening. Only India and the US coming together can bring peace, prosperity and stability to the world,” he added.
Singh also highlighted India’s significant economic progress over the past decade, noting that 25 crore (250 million) people have been lifted out of poverty and that India is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027.
“Earlier, the Indian economy was among the ‘Fragile 5’, today it is among ‘Stimulus 5’. Morgan Stanley has said that no one can stop India from being in the world’s top 3 economies by 2027…India is one of the fastest-growing major economies,” Singh stated.
He commended India’s efficient handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said had minimal impact on the nation’s economy. “During the Covid pandemic, our Prime Minister combated the crisis with such strength…we didn’t allow any adverse impact of the pandemic to hit our economy….in the last 10 years, our government has lifted 25 crore people out of the poverty line…our target is no one remains poor in the country in the next few years,” Singh said.
Highlighting the government’s efforts to enhance the Ease of Doing Business in India, Singh mentioned that 40,000 business compliances have been removed, fostering a thriving start-up ecosystem that has grown from around 400-500 start-ups to over 120,000 today.
He also noted India’s achievements as the world’s second-largest mobile phone exporter and the global leader in digital transactions, with over 46% of the world’s digital transactions taking place in India.
During his visit, Defence Minister Singh is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his US counterpart, Secretary Austin, and meet with Jake Sullivan, the US Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
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