US Def Secretary Scheduled to Begin India Visit Friday; Focus on Expansion of Strategic Ties

Ways to further strengthen IndiaUS strategic ties, boosting cooperation in the IndoPacific in the face of growing Chinese assertiveness and the Afghan peace process are expected to be the key focus areas in talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin on Saturday, people familiar with the development said Thursday. Secretary Austin is scheduled to arrive here late Friday afternoon as part of his first overseas trip that also took him to Japan and South Korea. The US Defence Secretary is expected to meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.