US and India strengthen defence ties to counter China.
India and the United States have agreed on a roadmap for defence industry cooperation for the next few years, which is expected to boost India's defence manufacturing ambitions. The move comes ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official state visit to Washington on June 22, where he will hold talks with President Joe Biden. The US sees deeper military-to-military and technology ties with India as a key counterweight to China's dominance in the region. The roadmap will guide policy direction for the next few years and identify opportunities for co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems.