U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in India on Thursday to meet with newly-installed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other officials to strengthen the ties between the two countries.

Hagel will be meeting Modi and Defense and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday as part of his three-day visit to the South Asian country.

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Hagel is the third U.S. official to visit the country after Modi was appointed into office in May this year. Secretary of State John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker had visited New Delhi last week.

The high-level meeting is expected to focus on the two countries' "converging interests" in the Asia Pacific, its initiatives to strengthen defense cooperation aside from its annual military exercises and its trade relations, said U.S. Rear Adm. John Kirby of the Pentagon last week.

While the content of the talks is unlikely to be revealed, political analysts said the visit may also be used to promote U.S. military equipment to India, the world's largest importer in terms of arms supply.

Relation between the U.S. and India has expanded after the Cold War, from defense cooperation to trade and research.

Jon Grevatt, an Asia-Pacific defense industry analyst for defense publisher IHS Jane's, said the U.S. wanted to expand its role in India's defense industry by offering its equipment deals, including the state-of-the-art anti-tank missile and aerial vehicles, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The visit came just days after India's cabinet approved a proposal on Wednesday that raised investors' control on its defense companies from 26 percent to 49 percent ownership cap for foreign investors.

India is spending at least US$30 billion a year for its military equipment, which was largely sourced from Russia. U.S. exports, while has dramatically increased over years, is still small compared to Moscow's.

Modi is scheduled to visit Washington in September, which is expected to be the venue of an announcement for a military deal with President Barack Obama.

Earlier, India said it plans to buy 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift from the U.S., aside from the four P-8I anti-submarine warfare aircraft, NDTV detailed. 

TagsPrime Minister Narendra Modi