NEW DELHI, Aug 3: Indian Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad and a team of top military officers would go to Washington for a meeting to discuss ways to enhance defence cooperation between India and the US, a defence official said on Sunday.

“Prasad and a high-powered team of officers will be leaving for Washington Monday for the defence policy group (DPG) meeting,” the official said.

“The DPG is the highest body to chart out the course of bilateral defence cooperation,” he said.

The two-day meeting will begin on Aug 6, he added.

India and the US will finalize schedules and details of military exercises for the coming year, which will include joint helicopter and fighter manoeuvres.

New Delhi is expected to persuade Washington to lift curbs on the transfer of dual-use and high-tech systems, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

While Washington has given Israel a go-ahead to sell Phalcon Airborne air early warning radars to India, New Delhi is still awaiting a green light to acquire the Arrow anti-missile system, PTI said.

Talks on the acquisition of deep submergence rescue vessels, human sensors and light arms for special forces are also slated during the DPG, PTI said.—AFP