Mattis calls Parrikar, offers to enhance defence ties

India and the US have agreed to ''sustain the momentum on key bilateral defence efforts'', as Defence Secretary James Mattis called his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar and expressed commitment to build upon the tremendous progress made in defence cooperation.

This was the first conversation between the two leaders after Mattis was sworn in as the Defense Secretary to US President Donald Trump last month.

''In their first conversation, Secretary Mattis committed to build upon the tremendous progress in bilateral defence cooperation made in recent years, underscoring the strategic importance of the US-India relationship and India's role in advancing global peace and security,'' the Pentagon Press Secretary Capt Jeff Davis said on Wednesday.

''Secretary Mattis and Minister Parrikar affirmed their commitment to sustain the momentum on key bilateral defense efforts to include the defense technology and trade initiative,'' Davis said after the phone conversation between the two leaders.