New Delhi: The possibility of joint ventures that will encourage US companies to manufacture in India, India-China tensions and deepening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region are expected to be some of the issues on the table during talks between US defence secretary Lloyd Austin and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh over the weekend.
Austin who arrives in New Delhi on Friday will be the first official from the new Biden administration to visit India. Soon after his arrival, Austis is expected to meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
On Saturday, Austin will be formally received at South Block, the seat of India’s Defence Ministry by Singh and then the two will go in for talks, said a person familiar with the developments. Before his departure on Sunday, the US Defence Secretary will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The first visit from Austin is “an exploratory visit," said the person cited above. “There is a wide range of issues on the table. The stop in India comes after the US Defence Secretary’s visit to Japan and South Korea. It also follows the first meeting of the leaders of the Quad countries," the person said – ie a virtual meeting of the leaders of the US, India, Australia and Japan who all sought a “free," “open" and “rules based" Indo-Pacific region free from “coercion" on 12 March. The mention of “coercion" can be seen as pointer to China which has been using intimidatory tactics vis a vis all its neighbours including those in the South China Sea – a major commercial waterway in the region. That one of the first major engagements of the Biden administration within two months of taking office was a meeting of the “Quad" countries underlines the importance given to the Indo-Pacific region and the challenges posed by China besides the significance attached to working with partners – a recurring theme with US President Joe Biden.
The Austin visit comes as India and China are in the middle of discussions over disengagement of troops in Ladakh. While pullback of troops from one sector has been completed, eye ball to eye ball confrontation continues in other areas. It was with help from the US that India procured high altitude winter clothes for its troops stationed at the heights of the Himalayan mountains in Ladakh through last winter. During the last “2+2" meeting between Indian and US foreign and defence ministers in New Delhi in October 2020, the US had come out strongly in support of India as Indian troops faced Chinese soldiers across the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.
During the Singh-Austin meeting, India could highlight the opportunities for joint production of weapons systems, said the person cited above, referring to New Delhi’s plans to ramp up indigenous production of defence hardware. Talks could also cover maritime domain awareness, bilateral and multilateral military exercises and increased collaboration across the Indian Ocean Region besides the Indo-Pacific.
Another issue that may come up could be India’s purchase of the S-400 Triumf air defence system from Russia. Deliveries of the system are expected later this year. With ties between the US and Russia seen as tense, New Delhi could be caught in its cross hairs if Washington decides to sanction India under the provisions of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
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