Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on his last day of the tour called on the National Civil Rights Museum at Memphis in Tennessee in the United States and interacted with the members of the Indian diaspora there, during which he termed them an important "living bridge" between India and the US.
Taking to X, Rajnath Singh said, "I had a very engaging interaction with the Indian community in Memphis. I commend their great contributions in all walks of life-be it society, science, and the economy. "
His office announced that the Defence Minister interacted with members of the Indian community from Memphis, Atlanta, Nashville, and other adjoining areas on Sunday, who were making sizeable contributions in many fields, including.
Singh further emphasized that the Indian-American community has been a staple facilitator in promoting relations and goodwill between both nations for the betterment of ties between the two countries.
He also pointed to the effort by the community in setting up an exhibit on Mahatma Gandhi and the unveiling of two honorary street signs, the 'Gandhi Way,' near the National Civil Rights Museum, to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi in 2019.
The National Civil Rights Museum, which traces the struggle of civil rights in the US from the 17th century to the present, stands at the very site where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. The museum contains a bust of Gandhi, acknowledging his influence on non-violent resistance.
During his visit, Rajnath Singh spoke about the giant strides India had taken in the last decade and its bright future ahead.
Earlier in the day, the Defence Minister visited the William B. Morgan Large Cavitation Channel (LCC) at Naval Surface Warfare Center is a facility to test submarines, torpedoes, naval ships and propellers. He was briefed on operations of the centre as India is contemplating to build such facilities in the country.
He was accompanied by the Indian Ambassador to the US, the Director General of the Indian Navy, and defence technology experts from DRDO.
The visit was led by the US Navy's Deputy Under Secretary assisted by the Commander and Technical Director of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, with detailed briefings on the functions of the centre.
The visit was aimed at joint opportunities available with the US in creating advanced testing facilities in India for indigenous design and development.
Besides, Rajnath Singh held meetings with CEOs of top US defence companies such as Boeing, GE, General Atomics, General Dynamics Land Systems, L3 Harris, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, Rolls-Royce, and Thales. The meetings showcased the growing momentum in India-US defence relations and cooperation.
The Defence Minister's four-day visit to Washington, extended at the invitation of US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, covered a one-on-one meeting with his American counterpart and a call on US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. His journey, he said, was aimed at further strengthening the strategic partnership between India and the United States.
Singh also led a high-level roundtable discussion with the US defence industry on contemporary and future defence collaborations.
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