Secretary of Defense Ash Carter will host an enhanced honor cordon to welcome India's Minister of Defence Manohar Parrikar to the Pentagon at 12:50 p.m. EDT on Monday, Aug. 29, on the steps of the Pentagon River Entrance. Following the arrival ceremony there will be a wreath-laying ceremony at 1:30 p.m. at the Pentagon 9-11 Memorial. After the ceremony there will be a bilateral meeting followed by a joint press conference in the Pentagon Briefing Room at 2:30 p.m.
This will be Secretary Carter's sixth meeting with Minister Parrakar, and comes just weeks after India was designated a major defense partner of the United States during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's June visit to Washington. Secretary Carter met with Minister Parrakar during a visit to India in April.
All journalists who desire to cover the cordon, including those with a Pentagon building pass, must obtain a wrist band from security screening. Journalists without a Pentagon building pass covering the honor cordon will be escorted from the base of the River Entrance Pedestrian Bridge only after security screening. Security screening will begin at approximately 12:15 a.m. EDT; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification. All journalists wishing to cover the honor cordon, including those with a Pentagon building badge, must be in place no later than 12:30 a.m. EDT. Please call 703-697-5131 with any questions.