India, U.S. Hold Talks on Regional Security and Expanding Defense Cooperation
NEW DELHI — India and the United States held high-level discussions on regional security and strengthening defense ties during meetings in the capital, as both sides signaled continued momentum in their strategic partnership.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge A. Colby on the sidelines of the India–U.S. Defence Policy Group meeting on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
“Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge A. Colby on the sidelines of the India–US Defence Policy Group meeting today. They exchanged views on advancing bilateral defence cooperation, regional security, and further strengthening the strategic partnership,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote on X.
Earlier in the day, Colby also met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, with both leaders discussing the evolving geopolitical landscape.
“Pleased to meet US Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby this afternoon. Exchanged views on the current geopolitical scenario,” Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting.
Colby is visiting India to engage with senior officials and advance cooperation between the two countries, which have deepened defense and strategic ties in recent years.
Speaking at a special session hosted by the Ananta Centre on Tuesday, Colby emphasized Washington’s view of India as a critical partner in shaping the Indo-Pacific region.
“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 said the U.S. sees India as essential to maintaining a favorable balance of power in Asia, citing its geographic position, economic potential, and growing 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 also described the U.S. approach to ties with India as pragmatic and grounded in shared interests.
“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 by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in their February 2025 joint statement, as well as implementing the framework for the U.S.-India Major Defence Partnership. (Source: IANS)
