Mattis is the first cabinet rank official to visit India under the Trump administration and was due to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ties between India and the United States have rapidly expanded with New Delhi buying weapons worth $15 billion over the last decade from the US, moving away from traditional supplier Russia. The Indian navy has sought the unarmed drones to help it mount longer duration surveillance of the Indian Ocean where Chinese naval ships and submarines are making regular forays. The US has been critical of China’s build-up of military facilities in the South China Sea and had suggested joint patrols with the Indian navy across the region. “China looms very large for both countries,” said Dhruva Jaishankar, a specialist on India-US relations at Brookings India.

Source: Dhaka Tribune September 26, 2017 12:22 UTC