Jaishankar, U.S. Defense Official Discuss Global Security Landscape in New Delhi
NEW DELHI — External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby in New Delhi on Wednesday, with both sides discussing the current geopolitical situation and broader strategic issues.
“Pleased to meet US Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby this afternoon. Exchanged views on the current geopolitical scenario,” Jaishankar said in a post on X following the meeting.
Colby, who is visiting India for high-level engagements with government officials, emphasized the importance Washington places on its relationship with New Delhi, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
Speaking at a session hosted by the Ananta Centre on Tuesday, Colby said the United States views India as a key force shaping regional and global dynamics.
“The United States views India with deep respect — as a republic of continental scale, as a nation with a proud strategic tradition, and as a country whose decisions will profoundly shape the future of the Indo-Pacific and the international landscape more broadly,” he said.
“Our two countries of course differ in history, geography, and perspective in important ways. Yet we share something fundamental: a conviction that the future of Asia should be determined by sovereign nations able to chart their own course,” he added.
Colby described India as an essential partner in maintaining long-term stability in Asia, citing its geographic position, economic strength, and military capabilities.
“India’s importance stems not only from its size and economic potential, but also from its geography and strategic position. Your country sits astride the Indian Ocean, which is the connective tissue of the Indo-Pacific. India possesses a long tradition of strategic autonomy and a growing capacity to shape events well beyond its borders. It is the largest republic in the world; its success thus carries profound symbolic and political weight. And it has formidable, self-reliant, and capable military forces, willing and able to shoulder significant security responsibilities,” Colby said.
He added that the U.S. approach to its partnership with India is grounded in shared interests and strategic realism.
“We clearly recognise that India has its own interests, its own strategic culture, and its own priorities, and that India is not shy about advancing them,” he said.
“Minister of External Affairs Dr. Jaishankar has termed India’s approach ‘Bharat First’ and its strategic approach ‘the India Way’. Like America First and flexible realism, Bharat First and the India Way emphasise the centrality of a realistic approach to foreign policy, an unabashed willingness to put one’s own national priorities first, and a results-oriented mindset about international politics,” Colby added.
The U.S. Department of Defense said Colby’s visit is aimed at advancing goals outlined in a February 2025 joint statement by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as implementing the framework for the U.S.-India Major Defence Partnership. (Source: IANS)
