India sees defence ties with US

NEW DELHI: Top Indian and US defence officials on Tuesday brushed aside any idea that the new communist-backed government in New Delhi might distance itself from Washington and said they wanted to build still closer ties.

“The meetings were very positive, there is no question of a reversal,” an Indian Defence Ministry official said after the first of three days of talks.

The meeting covered plans for more joint military exercises, cooperation in high-tech areas and new weapons for the Indian military, which in the past bought most of its foreign arms from Russia.

“We had good talks, we are interested in carrying forward, in developing our strategic relationship,” US Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Douglas Feith told reporters after the first day’s meetings of the Indo-US Defence Policy Group. Separately, Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh dismissed concern that the Congress-led government in New Delhi would seek more distance in relations with Washington than its predecessor.

“The impression that there might be a change in the government’s attitude towards the United States is unfounded,” he told a news conference. reuters

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