US Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter, who is on a strategic Asia-Pacific tour, arrived in Indian capital New Delhi on late Sunday with focus on defense cooperation between the two countries.
On Monday, Carter will attend meetings with India's Secretary of Defense Shri Shashi Kant Sharma and other senior Indian defense officials, including chiefs of acquisition and research and development, the Pentagon said in a press release. He will also meet with U.S. Ambassador Nancy Powell.
Later in the day, the deputy secretary will speak about U.S.-India defense cooperation in remarks to a gathering hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry.
Also on Monday, Carter will meet separately with Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai and National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon.
Tuesday's scheduled events include a trip to the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, where Carter will meet with Indian defense industry representatives. He will also tour joint defense facilities operated by a leading Indian defense contractor, Tata Advanced Systems, in separate partnership ventures with Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky Aircraft. The deputy secretary will then return to New Delhi.
From India, Carter will travel to South Korea, the concluding stop on an Asian-Pacific tour that has already taken him to Hawaii, Guam, Japan and Thailand.
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