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Rajnath Singh’s 4-Day US Visit to Strengthen Defence Ties, Strategic Partnership

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to embark on a 4-day official visit to the United States starting Friday, August 23. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral defence ties and expand the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between India and the US. Singh is visiting at the invitation of US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and will also hold meetings with Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor. Additionally, he will chair a high-level roundtable with the US defence industry to discuss ongoing and future collaborations.

During his visit, Rajnath Singh will engage with the Indian community and focus on key defence projects, including discussions on the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones and 99 GE-F414 jet engines for India’s Light Combat Aircraft Mk2 and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), led by Singh, recently made amendments to increase indigenous content in the drones, although some requirements have been eased.

The visit comes amid recent challenges in defence cooperation, such as delays in the supply of GE-404 jet engines by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Tejas Mk1A aircraft. Singh is expected to address these issues with US officials, emphasizing the urgency of resolving supply delays to meet India’s defence needs. Notably, this visit coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Poland and Ukraine.

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