Indo-US hold talks on Pol-military, East Asia; security on 19

The two countries are having a series of meetings this week, including one on Homeland Security on Thursday and Friday apart from a trilateral with Japan on April 23.

After a gap of nearly six years, India and the US had held their first political-military dialogue here yesterday which was led by Javed Ashraf, Joint Secretary (Americas) in the Ministry of External Affairs from Indian side and by Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew J Shapiro from the US.

The two sides discussed key issues such as defence trade, including US reform process in their export policy, counter- piracy, and regional political-military issues.

 

The American side raised the issue of recovery and repatriation of US service members lost during the Second World War. To which, the Indian side expressed the openness to consider it on humanitarian grounds, official sources said.

In recent years, the US and India have significantly broadened their defence cooperation, as demonstrated by their robust engagement in bilateral dialogues, military exercises, and personnel exchanges, as well as nearly USD nine billion in defence trade since 2008.

On the fifth India-US dialogue on Asia Pacific region, the US Embassy here said "both sides discussed a wide range of global trends and regional issues of mutual concern and committed to continue the exchange regularly in the future."

Asked about the dispute between India and China over exploration in South China sea, Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell said the laws of the seas should apply and issues should be addressed through dialogue. MORE PTI PYK