Department of State is yet to confirm the secretary’s trip and its agendas.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is planning to visit both India and Pakistan in one trip that is scheduled for the last weeks in October.
The dates and modalities of the visit are still being discussed and Tillerson is expected to visit India “later in October”, The Hindu reported.
Tillerson will be the fourth official from the Donald Trump administration to visit India, following National Security Advisor H R McMaster, top diplomat Alice Wells and Defence Secretay James Mattis.
However, India is not happy about the Secretary clubbing the India, Pakistan visits and is already expressed displeasure over being hyphenated with Pakistan. Tillerson’s visit will also resume the practice of visiting India and Pakistan together, which the former secretaries usually avoided.
The main point of discussion during the visit will be the United States new Afghan policy and about further increasing the corporation between New Delhi and Washington.
Tillerson visit comes within a month after Secretary of Defense James Mattis’ visit to India and is expected to further deepen the US-India diplomatic partnership.
Mattis, who came to India in September, was the first cabinet member from the Trump administration visiting India and he held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
“This is a historic opportunity for our two democracies, a time of strategic convergence. As India takes its rightful place at the global table, India will find the United States to be a steadfast friend and partners,” Mattis said during his visit.
However, the Department of State is yet to confirm the secretary’s trip and its agendas.