New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in New Delhi on November 10. 

Both ministers comprehensively discussed a wide range of defence and strategic issues.

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin reached India yesterday (November 9) to attend the 5th 2 Plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue and the bilateral meeting on November 10. His Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh received him at Palam airport New Delhi yesterday.

Posting on X, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wrote on November 9, "Glad to receive my friend and @SecDef Austin at Palam, New Delhi. Looking forward to fruitful deliberations during 2 Plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue and the bilateral meeting to be held tomorrow."

As the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin arrived in New Delhi, posted on social media platform on November 9, "Wheels down in India. At a time of great momentum in the U.S.-India partnership, I look forward to productive discussions with @SecBlinken and our Indian counterparts here in New Delhi."

There was particular focus on enhancing defence industrial cooperation and getting the defence industries from both sides together to cooperatively co-develop and co-produce defence systems, Indian Ministry of Defence said today.

 The Ministers of Defence from India and the US explored ways and means to advance their defence technology cooperation with joint research in critical areas.

They also reviewed the progress of the India-US Defence Industrial Ecosystem, INDUS-X, which was launched in June this year and aims to expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses and academic institutions of India and US.

After meeting with Mr. Rajnath Singh today, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said on X that he was honored to spend some time with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh and they have made significant progress in India-US defense partnership this year.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also said that he held an excellent meeting with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and talked about ways to further strengthen the defence relationship between two nations. Mr. Rajnath Singh said that the scope for cooperation in defence is immense.

They also discussed new pathways of cooperation by pursuing stronger defence industrial engagement and ensuring resilient supply chains in all domains.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh symbolically handed over to Secretary Austin some items recovered in Assam as part of the US Defence POW MIA Accounting Agency Mission.

The items include parts of parachute, uniform and airplane of the US forces from the World War II-era. The Ministers, before concluding, drew up an agenda for future joint work for their teams, Indian Ministry of Defence said on November 10.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended the India-US 2 Plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi today.

India-US concluded the 5th India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue on November 10.

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said that today's discussions underscored that in the face of urgent global challenges. It is more important than ever that two democracies exchange views, work toward common goals and deliver for two countries.