The day-long visit by US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis to New Delhi on Tuesday will focus on building ties with his Indian counterpart, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and on “cementing progress on India-US ties”. Mattis, the first member of the Trump administration to visit India, will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Sources told The Indian Express that the only tangible outcome expected during the visit was the announcement of a bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian and US navies, which will be focused on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR). The proposal for such an exercise, which will include amphibious and helicopter operations, was discussed during the Maritime Strategic Dialogue between the two countries earlier this year.
Credit: indianexpress.com
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