File Photo: US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter (Agence France-Presse)
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter will arrive tomorrow, on a two-day visit to the country, during which he will visit the Eastern Naval Command besides holding talks with top leadership in Delhi on joint development of defence technology.
India and US will also sign new 10-year defence framework, which was decided during the visit of American President Barack Obama in Delhi in January.
Mr Carter will arrive at Vishakapatnam first and hold talks with senior Navy officials there, before flying in to the national capital, officials said.
American officials have said this indicates the significance Pentagon attaches to India's modernisation of its navy.
In Vishakapatnam, the US Defence Secretary will visit the indigenous Shivalik class stealth multi-role frigate, INS Sahyadri.
In New Delhi, in addition to holding talks with his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar, Mr Carter would also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.
Mr Carter had last week said the US is looking for new ways to complement India's 'Act East' policy and find meaningful areas of cooperation in the Asia Pacific.
"The 2015 US-India Defense Framework I will sign next week will open up this relationship on everything from maritime security to aircraft carrier and jet engine technology cooperation," he had told delegates at the Shangri-La Dialogue plenary session in Singapore.