US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, on maiden India visit, set to meet PM Modi today

New Delhi: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who arrived here late on Tuesday from Pakistan, will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss further strengthening of Indo-US strategic partnership in key areas.

The two leaders will also explore opportunities for collaboration on security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Tillerson, who is the second high-ranking official of the Donald Trump Administration to visit India in the last two months, will also hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Importantly, US Defence Secretary James Mattis had visited India last month.

Ahead of Tillerson's three-day visit, the External Affairs Ministry had said that there will be detailed discussions on further strengthening of Indo-US partnership.

Strengthening cooperation in strategic areas of defence, counter terrorism, security, energy and trade are expected to figure during the meeting between Swaraj and Tillerson.

The US Secretary of State, who paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan, said the Trump administration was of the view that India can play a positive role in creating a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

He also asserted that America's relationship with India is of strategic importance which is not limited to South Asia. In a major India-policy speech, Tillerson said last week that the US is India's "reliable partner" at the world stage in this period of uncertainty and angst.

He also referred to the rise of China, saying its behaviour and action were "posing a challenge to the rules- based international order".

"China's provocative actions in the South China Sea directly challenge the international law and norms that the US and India both stand for," he had said.

The two sides will discuss key bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Tillerson's visit also comes at a time when the Trump Administration is "considering" India's request for armed drones for its air force.

Earlier this year, the IAF had requested the US government for General Atomics Predator C Avenger aircraft. It is understood that the IAF would need 80 to 100 units making it approximately a whopping USD 8 billion deal.

With PTI inputs