U.S. Secretary of Defence James Mattis shakes hands with India’s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj before the start of their meeting in New Delhi, India, September 6, 2018. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India and the United States signed an accord on secure military communications on Thursday that could open the way for sales of sensitive U.S. military equipment to India.

The pact was signed after U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with India’s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for talks aimed at deepening political and security ties between the world’s two largest democracies.