The US is interested in providing India with the kind of defence technology it normally reserves for its closest allies, the White House has said, signalling the Trump administration’s resolve to strengthen the bilateral defence relationship.
However, a senior administration official refrained from confirming reports that the State Department has approved the sale of 22 Guardian drones to India. Defence is expected to be a major agenda item when Trump hosts Modi at the White House next week.
According to PTI, a senior administration officer said that he US evaluates that this is an important way for America and India to cooperate on specific areas of mutual concern, and that both sides benefit from transferring the kind of high technology, the Trump administration has been talking about.Â
He added that is very much an example of the US wanting to treat India as a major defence partner, sort of demonstrating that, in concrete terms, that the US consider India a close defence partner on par with their closest allies and partners.Â
