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Unescorted Pentagon access for India's defence attaché
The move is a a rare privilege granted only to close partners, US air force secretary Frank Kendall said.
New Delhi: India’s defence attaché in Washington has been given unescorted access to the US defence department, a rare privilege granted only to close partners, according to a top American official.
US air force secretary Frank Kendall provided details of the access while speaking at a reception hosted on Monday by the Indian ambassador to Washington, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, to mark the Independence Day.
“As of today, the Indian [defence] attaché team now has unescorted access in the Pentagon, which is [commensurate] with our close relationship, with India’s status as a major defence partner,” Kendall was quoted as saying by PTI.
“Such a move is aligned with the trust and cooperation that we share with India,” said Kendall, who is responsible for training and equipping the US Air and Space Forces.
“And if you don’t think unescorted access to the Pentagon is a big deal, I can’t get into the Pentagon without an escort,” added Kendall, who has more than 50 years of experience in management, defence acquisition and national security affairs.
The Pentagon, or the headquarters of the US defence department, is considered one of the most difficult places to get access to n Washington. Even American citizens require high-level security clearances to enter the building.
The US had designated India as a “major defence partner” in 2016.
Subsequently, India was elevated to the “Strategic Trade Authorisation tier 1 status” in 2018, allowing the country to receive licence-free access to a range of military and dual-use technologies regulated by the US commerce department.
