Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook provided the following readout
Today Secretary Carter met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his final trip to India as U.S. secretary of defense. The two discussed the tremendous progress in bilateral defense ties between the United States and India and the irreversible progress the strategic partnership has enjoyed over the last two years. Secretary Carter noted that the prime minister’s initiatives, such as the “Make in India” campaign and India’s “Act East / Think West” policies, have enabled greater technological and strategic collaboration than ever before.
Prime Minister Modi and Secretary Carter also discussed regional security issues of mutual concern and areas for future cooperation. They also commended today’s announcement that India and the United States have finalized India’s designation as a “Major Defense Partner” of the United States, and the trade and technology opportunities the designation enables. The secretary and the prime minister agreed both countries should continue to pursue deepened cooperation to fully realize the relationship’s potential as one of the defining strategic partnerships of the 21st century.
