Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee, right, with U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Douglas Feith, at his office in New Delhi on June 3. Feith was in New Delhi for the three-day meeting of the India-U.S. Defense Policy Group (DPG), the body that gives shape to bilateral defense cooperation. (Photo: Courtesy, Ministry of Defense)

New Delhi - India and the United States on June 3 concluded their first strategic dialogue since a new government assumed office in New Delhi but failed to make any major announcements on enhancing defense cooperation.

The three-day meeting of the India-U.S. Defense Policy Group (DPG), the body that gives shape to bilateral defense cooperation, ended with both sides noting the “growing areas of convergence” and a review of the global strategic and security situation, a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense said.

Unlike earlier meetings of the DPG in recent years, the two sides did not identify any new areas of cooperation or announce a schedule for joint exercises by their forces.

The meeting, which also reviewed the security situation in South Asia, Afghanistan and Iraq, was marked by an exchange of ideas and proposals “for development of bilateral relations to further strengthen Indo-U.S. defense cooperation,” the statement said. “India and the U.S. noted this was the first major bilateral policy dialogue since the new government took over in India.”

Among the areas of convergence identified by the two sides were democracy, pluralism, security issues with emphasis on terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and security of sea-lanes.

U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Douglas Feith, who led the American side , had said on June 1 that his country was looking to the new government to “carry forward” bilateral defense ties that had expanded rapidly in the last few years to encompass key areas like missile defense.

He said the U.S. wanted to move forward with cooperation in what is described as the quartet of issues –– cooperation in civilian use of nuclear technology; space; trade in hi-tech items; and missile defense –– but indicated that much would depend on the thinking of the new government.

Feith also called on Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee and newly-appointed National Security Adviser J.N. Dixit.

During the talks, the Indian team, led by Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad, made presentations on the country’s involvement in U.N. peacekeeping missions, security and reconstruction in Afghanistan and the status of India-Pakistan relations.

The US side briefed the Indian officials on the American missile defense program, the Proliferation Security Initiative, the U.S. global posture review and updates on Afghanistan and Iraq.

Under the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government, defence ties with the U.S. had expanded rapidly. Special Forces of the two sides participated in exercises both in India and the U.S.