Department of Defense Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Anton T. Semelroth provided the following readout:
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl co-chaired the 16th U.S.-India Defense Policy Group alongside Defense Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar of the Indian Ministry of Defense, October 8, 2021. The Dialogue advanced an ambitious set of bilateral priorities – including information-sharing, high-end maritime cooperation, logistics, and defense trade – reflective of the flourishing defense ties between the United States and India.
U.S. and Indian officials exchanged views on regional issues of shared interest, including in South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region. They also discussed opportunities for enhanced cooperation with like-minded partners to sustain a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The leaders reinforced their commitment to deepening joint cooperation and interoperability between the U.S. and Indian militaries to work more seamlessly together, including strengthening cooperation in new defense domains, such as space and cyber.
The Dialogue laid the groundwork for an important 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue later this year, as the United States and India open a new chapter in the Major Defense Partnership.