Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat on Thursday met the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark A Milley here and both discussed a range of issues, including ways to ensure regional security.

The top officials agreed to continued cooperation in training exercises and creating more opportunities to increase interoperability between the two militaries, Office of the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Public Affairs said in a statement. Milley had welcomed General Rawat during an Armed Forces full honour arrival ceremony on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

General Rawat laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as part of his official visit.  “Later both officials met at the Pentagon, where the two military leaders discussed a range of issues, including ways to ensure regional security and their respective roles as principal military advisors to civilian leadership,” the statement added.

Washington and New Delhi “share a strong military-to-military relationship under the US-India Major Defence Partnership, which supports a free and open Indo-Pacific”.

General Rawat is on a visit to the US. Earlier on Wednesday, he visited Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington and also discussed issues of bilateral defence cooperation with US Army’s Major General Xavier T Brunson, Commanding General, 1 Corps.

According to a statement released by the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, US, “India is essential to accomplish our common vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. The Political-Military Affairs (PM) Bureau, in collaboration with interagency partners, promotes the United States-India defence trade relationship and larger security alliance.”

This meeting comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Joe Biden in the United States during which the two leaders agreed to build on their strong partnership.

“We are meeting at the start of the third decade of this century. Your leadership will certainly play an important role in how this decade is shaped. The seeds have been sown for an even stronger friendship between India and the USA,” the Prime Minister had said.

(With inputs from ANI)