U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will visit India this month. He will meet his counterpart his Indian counterpart Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. A meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar (who was previously India’s Ambassador to the United States) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also planned.
Lloyd James Austin III is a retired United States Army four-star general and led the U.S. Central Command from 2013 to 2016; as the 28th United States secretary of defense, he is the first African American to hold this key role. It is significant that Austin will be the first member of Joe Biden’s cabinet to arrive in New Delhi.
Austin and Singh spoke by phone within days of his being sworn in. “Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh and during the call, Austin emphasized the Department’s commitment to the US-India Major Defense Partnership, observing that it is built upon shared values and a common interest in ensuring the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open.” according to the readout by the Pentagon.
India is strategically important to American interests in Asia and is seen as a key counterweight to help contain Chinese expansionism. India has also purchased tens of billions of dollars in American weapons, mostly aircraft and rotorcraft.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
