WASHINGTON– Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra met with visiting officers from the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) of India during their trip to Washington, underscoring the growing role of military medicine in the India–U.S. defense partnership.
Kwatra, in a statement shared on social media, said he had “interacted with Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin and officers of the Armed Forces Medical Services of India who are visiting the U.S. for engagements with their counterparts at U.S. INDOPACOM, the Defense Health Agency, and the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.” He added that the visit was aimed at strengthening cooperation in military medicine, which he described as “an important pillar of the strong bilateral defense relationship between India and the U.S.”
The meeting comes amid continued momentum in security ties, even as trade relations between the two countries face occasional friction.
Earlier in September, Kwatra also met U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby at the Pentagon, where the two reviewed defense cooperation initiatives and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing strategic collaboration. Both officials described the exchange as productive and forward-looking.
These interactions follow the successful conclusion of Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025, the 21st edition of the annual bilateral Army-to-Army exercise held this year in Alaska. The two-week training program ended on September 14 and involved joint drills designed to enhance interoperability. In a statement, the Indian embassy called the exercise “a hallmark of the growing military-to-military interaction between India and the U.S. aligned with the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.”
With sustained dialogue, high-level visits, and joint exercises, defense cooperation remains one of the strongest elements of the India–U.S. relationship. (Source: IANS)
