Manohar Parrikar and Carter to meet at Pentagon

Washington, Dec 7: US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter would host Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at the Pentagon this week following which the two leaders would travel to Norfolk in Virginia to visit a ship, a Pentagon official said on Tuesday, Dec 8.

Indian Defense Minister would be here (at Pentagon) on Wednesday and Thursday. He is having dinner with the Secretary (of Defence) on Wednesday (December 09)," Pentagon Spokesman Capt Jeff Davis said during an off camera news conference Monday, Dec 7.

The two leaders would have formal meeting at the Pentagon on Thursday (December 10) morning. "On Thursday they would be going to Norfolk together to visit a ship down there," Davis said. This is Parrikar's first visit to the US as the Indian Defense Minister.

According to top defence sources in Delhi, Parrikar at the meeting on December 9 and 10, will "plainly" tell the US that its policy of engaging Pakistan was not working.

PTI