Notably Vivek Lall of Lockheed Martin was also present in the meeting

A High powered US Congressional delegation led by Rep Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has arrived in India over the weekend for meetings with the Indian leadership in New Delhi on Monday.

A High powered US Congressional delegation led by Rep Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has arrived in India over the weekend for meetings with the Indian leadership in New Delhi on Monday. The talks are expected to focus on India-US defence cooperation, maritime security, counter-terrorism and other issues of mutual concern. The visit is of great significance as it comes ahead of the Indo-US two-plus-two dialogue on July 6 in Washington DC. Moreover, the US House of Representatives last week passed the annual defence spending bill for fiscal 2019, which among other things, seeks better defence relationship with India and greater American commitment in the Indo-Pacific region.

At a US-India Business Council industry round table in New Delhi on Sunday, chairman Thornberry and his team of Rep Henry Cuellar, Rep Vickie Hartzler, and Rep Carol Shea-Porter met with senior US officials including Vivek Lall, vice president (strategy and business development), Lockheed Martin.

“The US Industry collectively has major stakes in India in the years to come and the two plus two dialogue being held in Washington DC on July 6th is being viewed as critical to set the tone and tenor of the defence relationship given the recent geopolitical movements in the region. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has been at the forefront of steering the relationship ahead of the ministerial talks,” sources told FE.

The high-level dialogue involving the foreign and defence ministers of the two sides were delayed due to the change of the US secretary of state. Next month, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and secretary of defence Jim Mattis will lead talks with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Washington DC. “In the Indo-Pacific region, the United States faces a near-term, belligerent threat armed with nuclear weapons and also a longer-term strategic competitor,” said Congressman Mac Thornberry last week.