‘India-US military dialogue fruitful, to further deepen defence cooperation’

New Delhi, Oct 26 : The India-US talks on military issues here on Monday were “fruitful” and aimed at further deepening defence cooperation between two largest democracies in the world, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.
Rajnath Singh and his US counterpart Mark T. Esper held talks on various defence and security issues ahead of 2+2 dialogue between both the countries scheduled on Tuesday.
After the bilateral meeting at the South Block, Rajnath Singh said that the talks “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 and mutual cooperation,” he said.
The talks on Monday came in the run-up to the third edition of the 2+2 ministerial dialogue between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Esper and their Indian counterparts, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, respectively.
A host of crucial bilateral, regional, and global issues — including China’s efforts to expand influence in the Indo-Pacific region as well as its aggressive behaviour in eastern Ladakh — will figure in the talks.