Top US General to visit India

New Delhi, June 2 (UNI) India and the United States will discuss regional security issues during the upcoming visit here of US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Peter Pace, the highest ranking American military officer to visit India in three years.

Gen Pace, whose predecessor Gen Richard B Myers had visited India in July 2003, will arrive here from Singapore on a special US Air Force jet on Sunday.

During his four-day visit, Gen Pace will hold discussions with his host Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash, who is also Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Thereafter, Lt Gen HS Lidder, Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff, will brief the American General on 'India's Security Perspective', following which US officials will brief senior Indian officers on 'Regional Security Perspective'.

Gen Pace will also have meetings with Army chief Gen JJ Singh and Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi.

While a meeting with Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee had yet not been confirmed, a spokesman said Gen Pace will call on National Security Adviser MK Narayanan.

Gen Pace will also be visiting Agra to see the Taj Mahal as well as headquarters of the Army's Western Command in Chandimandir near Chandigarh and its Training Command at Shimla.

Gen Pace is the third senior US military officer to visit India this year after US Pacific Air Force Commander Gen Paul Hester and US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Gary Roughead.

India and the US had upgraded their defence ties in June 2005 by signing a 10-year agreement that envisages stepped-up military cooperation in fields like missile defence, joint weapons production and technology transfer.

UNI DG VD BD1829