U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday as part of a push to boost weapons sales to a new government eager to modernize its military, and to explore plans for the two nations to jointly develop a next-generation anti-tank missile.

Hagel’s visit to India – the world's biggest arms importer – comes ahead of Modi's first official visit to Washington next month.

Indian officials said they were close to finalizing a $1.4 billion deal to buy at least 22 U.S. Apache and 15 Chinook helicopters. India has also offered a follow-on order of 39 Apache helicopters in addition to the 22 now being negotiated, a defense ministry official said.

The initial batch of helicopters is meant to replace the Indian Air Force's aging fleet of Soviet-era aircraft, and will be armed with Hellfire and Stinger missiles.

The Indian army has separately requested a fleet of at least 39 of these attack aircraft, some of which will be deployed as part of a new mountain division it is raising along the disputed border with China, an army official said.

The United States is keen on securing greater military cooperation with India as Washington seeks to counter growing Chinese firepower in Asia. India, for its part, seems more interested in co-development opportunities than in simply buying American-made weapons. Part of that could include plans for the co-developing a Javelin missile that is cheaper, lighter and more capable.

Speaking to reporters traveling with him Thursday en route to New Delhi, Hagel said he recognizes India's intent to maintain its independence and develop its own industrial base.

"No country wants to be seen as a second cousin" to the U.S., Hagel said, adding that Washington must find ways to "adjust to what India's political requirements are, how they want to handle the relationship."

U.S. defense sales to India have grown from the low hundreds of millions of dollars in the decade to 2008 to more than $9 billion since that year. According IHS Jane's, a defense research firm, India was the top foreign buyer of U.S. arms last year.

U.S. officials say there is the potential for billions of dollars of new sales in the next few years, and are hoping the Modi administration, which came to power in May, can overcome bureaucratic obstacles that have held up some deals.

During the meeting Modi and Hagel also discussed the situation in Afghanistan, as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited Kabul to try to resolve disputed elections that have raised fears of civil war.

India has voiced concern about instability in Afghanistan as the U.S. prepares to withdraw its troops. Modi told Hagel that a smooth transition of power in Afghanistan was essential for sustaining progress toward peace and stability, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

The war in Afghanistan has also frayed relations with India as the U.S. pursued an often uneasy alliance with India’s arch-rival Pakistan, pressing Islamabad to go after Taliban insurgents launching attacks against coalition forces across the Afghan border. Pakistan and India – both nuclear-armed – have battled in three major wars since their partition in 1947. But more recently, they have taken some steps to improve relations.

Wire services