After a gap of nearly six years, the US and India would hold their first political-military dialogue in New Delhi next week during which the two countries are expected to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues.
US assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs Andrew J. Shapiro is travelling to India next week to head the American delegation for the first India-US Pol-Mil dialogue after 2006.
“Shapiro will hold talks with senior civilian officials on defence trade, counter-piracy, and regional political-military issues, as well as the recovery and repatriation of US service members lost during the Second World War,” the state department said in a statement here.
Sources said the talks being revived after a gap of six years would help the two countries bring together political and military issues on one platform. However, sources clarified that during the talks the two countries would not be discussing licensing issues. The dialogue would review the kind of progress the two countries are making on political and military issues.
In recent years, the US and India have significantly broadened their defence cooperation, as demonstrated by their engagement in bilateral dialogues, military exercises, personnel exchanges and defence trade.