Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, in Washington, D.C. today to discuss shared priorities in the U.S.-India strategic partnership and exchange views on a range of regional security challenges. Secretary Austin and Minister Jaishankar reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region and strengthening the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership. They also discussed opportunities to deepen coordination amid the resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Secretary Austin conveyed that he looks forward to hosting Minister Jaishankar and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh at the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue later this year.
