India, Feb. 12 -- The United States is preparing to expand defence sales to India, a top American official said, highlighting the growing strategic and economic ties between the two countries.

S Paul Kapur, assistant secretary at the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, said, "So we're going to.expand. We have potential purchases of weapon systems in the pipeline that will help India to protect itself better."

The announcement comes as India and the US finalise a framework for an interim trade deal, ending nearly a year of negotiations. The agreement brings down reciprocal tariffs from 25 per cent to 18 per cent.

Speaking at a briefing before a subcommittee in the US house of representatives, Kapur went on to say that defence coo...