(Image source from: Hindustan Times)

The United States and India began talks to intensify political and security ties on Thursday, signing a military agreement that could lead to increased U.S. arms sales to New Delhi.

The Communications, Compatibility, Security Agreement (Comcasa) was signed in Delhi after the first '2+2' talks between external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with the U.S. Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo and Defence Secretary James Mattis.

Comcasa will allow the militaries of the two countries to securely communicate with each other. According to experts, the signing of the agreement could as well cut down the chances of the United States imposing sanctions on India for looking to buy Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems.

"In today's meeting, we reaffirmed to cooperate in every possible way to ensure peace, prosperity, and development," news agency ANI quoted Sitharaman as saying.

"We fully support India's rise as a leading global power," said Pompeo said at the start of the summit.

By Sowmya Sangam