Modi, Mattis pledge to continue strong US-India strategic partnership

WASHINGTON: India and the United States have pledged to continue their strong bilateral strategic partnership, the Pentagon said after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US defence secretary Jim Mattis.Mattis met the Prime Minister on the sidelines of the International Institute for Strategic Studies' 17th Asia Security Summit - also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue - in Singapore on Saturday."The two discussed the importance of the US-India relationship, and the role of both nations in cooperating to uphold international laws and principles, and to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific," defence spokesperson Captain Jeff Davis said here yesterday.The two leaders "pledged to continue the strong US-India strategic partnership and affirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the region," Davis said in a readout of the meeting.