New Delhi: India and the United States are set to finalise a hectic yearlong schedule of military exercises including holding joint helicopter and fighter manoeuvres even as New Delhi will press Washington for easing curbs on transfer of dual-use and hi-tech systems.

A high level Indian defence delegation led by Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad and including top officers of three services leaves for Washington on August 4 to attend the third in a series of joint Defence Policy Group (DPG) meetings to be held on August 6 and 7.

Moves by the US to get a UN mandate for broad basing the stabilisation force in Iraq to encourage countries like India to send troops is also likely to figure in the meeting, which has been advanced on Washington's request as also the venue changed to US soil.

The, DPG meeting, officials said would be preceded by meeting of the Indo-US Security co-operation group and military co-operation group on August 3 and 4, which would finalise the agenda for the meeting. Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad along with US Under Secretary of Defence (Policy) Douglas Feith are the two co-chairman of the group.

While, the US has given Israel the go ahead for sale of Phalcon Airborne Air early warning radars to India, New Delhi is still awaiting the nod for the acquisition of US-Israel Arrow anti-missile system, which is in the developmental stage, supply of deep submergence rescue vessels, human sensing sensors as well as special light arms for special forces.

The US has also offered the sale and technology transfer of Naval maritime reconnaissance P3C Orions as well as new range of its heavy and medium lift C-130 transport aircraft as well as F-16's fighting falcons and the two sides during the discussion would focus on these issues.

On Washington's continued freeze on transfer of dual use technology, the two countries have already set up a joint technical group which held a crucial meeting in Washington in July.

The group took some steps, officials said and the issue would come up for review by the DPG. While, Washington has lifted curbs on sale of engines for India's ambitious Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and sale of spares and parts for Sea-King Naval helicopters, it is yet to unfreeze sale of other critical dual use items.

New Delhi has also been pressing the US Navy to implement flyaway kits. US had signed a contract with India for supply of these kits, but it was held in abeyance following sanctions imposed after the Pokhran tests.

The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Richard B Myers termed as "robust" the defence ties between the two countries and said during his just concluded visit here that these had not been affected by India's decision not to send troops to Iraq.

Myers said that India and US military ties had grown in content with the two countries holding joint exercises involving Army, Navy, Air Force as well as special forces and these would continue to be upgraded.

PTI