India and US push defence deals amid 'global challenges'

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh leave after participating in a family photo as part of the so-called "2+2 Dialogue" at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Sushma Swaraj Bhavan (SSB) in New Delhi, India, November 10, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Pool

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India and the United States announced progress on key defence deals and said they would expand their growing partnership in the face of geopolitical challenges as their top diplomats and senior ministers met on Friday.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi as part of their annual "2+2 Dialogue", focused on the Indo-Pacific region.