Ashton Carter To Discuss India’s Position As ‘Major Defence Partner’

As he is about to make his second visit to India on 8 December, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter has said that he will discuss with Indian officials the impact of India being conferred the status of a "major defence partner" as the two democracies are "destined to be strategic partners in the future".

He told reporters travelling with him to India on Wednesday-

I'll be discussing with my Indian counterparts tomorrow ... the major change we're about to make in our export regulations as regards the status of India, a major defence partner…The significance of that is, first of all, it's unique to India…..It permits us to do things with India that have never been possible before. And it creates a presumption of approval for transactions with India.

While US President Barack Obama's administration recognised India as a major defence partner for purposes of defence exports, the Congress was on the brink of passing legislation that would formally recognise this status for New Delhi.

The National Defence Authorisation Bill, which includes a provision, "Enhancing defence and security cooperation with India," that asks the Defence Secretary to take steps to recognise India as a major defence partner of the US passed the House of Representatives on Monday, and it was expected to clear the Senate soon.

The ties between the two nations "has grown by leaps and bounds just in the last few years" and for the future "it's not a question of direction, it's entirely a question of pace," he said.

With IANS Inputs