By NNN-PTI,
Washington : Defence Minister A K Antony has arrived here on a four-day official visit to the United States during which he will hold talks with several officials of the Bush administration.
Antony who is accompanied by high-level delegation will hold talks with his counterpart Robert Gates from tomorrow morning.
Prior to the start of official talks with his counterpart that day, Antony is scheduled to inspect a military guard of honour at the Pentagon, followed by a visit to the Arlington National Cemetery as well as the Air Force and the Pentagon memorials.
On Wednesday, the Indian Defence Minister will call on the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the state department and in the same afternoon has a meeting at the White House with National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.
Antony is the first Indian minister to visit Washington after the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) granted the India-specific waiver on Saturday for nuclear commerce, giving the go-ahead for the implementation of the landmark Indo-US civil nuclear deal.
He is being accompanied by several senior officials including the Defence Secretary, and the Director General of Acquisitions.
In his discussions with Gates, Rice and Hadley the Indian Minister is expected to cover the gamut of bilateral relations over and beyond the parameters of the defence relationship between the two countries.