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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                  APRIL 03, 2026    |  The Indian Eye 18

                India, US discuss defence ties,

               military hardware cooperation

              “Exchanged views on current geopolitical scenario”: EAM Jaishankar holds meeting with

                                                     US Under Secretary Elbridge Colby

            NEERAJ DHAR
             New Delhi
                ndia and the United States on
                Wednesday discussed ways of fur-
            Ither  strengthening  their  defence
            ties  during  the  18th  Defence  Policy
            Group  meeting  held  in  New  Delhi.
            During the meeting, led by Defence
            Secretary  Rajesh  Kumar  Singh  and
            Under Secretary of War for Policy El-
            bridge Colby, the two sides also held
            important discussions on important
            ongoing defence deals, including the
            Indian plans for acquiring six more
            P-8I anti-submarine warfare aircraft.
                 “The 18th India-US Defence
            Policy Group meeting was held in
            New Delhi today. Defence Secretary
            Rajesh Kumar Singh and US Under
            Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge
            Colby co-chaired the talks. Both sides
            reviewed  ongoing  initiatives,  identi-  U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, United States Under Secretary of War for Policy, Elbridge Colby, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar
            fied priority areas for co-development    Singh (unseen) at the U.S.-India Defence Policy Group meeting, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (@USAmbIndia X/ANI Photo)
            &  co-production  of  defence  equip-
            ment,  and  reaffirmed  commitment   rent  geopolitical  scenario,”  adding,   spective in important ways. Yet we  away  from  what  he  termed  “gauzy
            to enhancing military-to-military   “Pleased  to meet US Under Secre-  share something fundamental: a con-  aspirations or detached idealism.”
            cooperation through joint exercises,   tary of War Elbridge Colby @USWP-  viction that the future of Asia should   “We clearly recognise that India
            training  visits  &  strategic  exchang-  Colby this afternoon.”    be determined by sovereign nations  has its own interests, its own strate-
            es,”  the  Ministry  of  Defence  said.  This high-level engagement fol-  able to chart their own course,” Col-  gic culture, and its own priorities, and
                 The two sides also held dis-
            cussions on the Excalibur preci-  lows a special session in the capital   by said.                    that India is not shy about advanc-
                                                                                     He further elaborated that the  ing  them,”  Colby  noted,  suggesting
                                              where Colby emphasised that Wash-
            sion-guided artillery ammunition for   ington maintains a “deep respect” for   US regards India as an “essential”  that the “Bharat First” and “Amer-
            which India has signed a Rs 300 crore   India, viewing New Delhi’s strategic   partner in maintaining a “long-term  ica First” philosophies are “deeply
            deal under the emergency procure-  choices as a primary force that will   favourable balance of power in Asia,”  aligned” in their “results-oriented
            ment route.                       “profoundly shape the future of the   citing the country’s unique “geogra-  mindset about international politics.”
                 The Indian side asked the
            American officials to ensure that the   Indo-Pacific.”              phy and strategic position.”          The diplomatic visit serves as a
                                                    During  the  session,  Colby  said,
                                                                                    According  to  Colby,  “India’s  key step in operationalising high-lev-
            precision-guided shells are provided   “The United States views India with   importance stems not only from its  el agreements. According to a state-
            to the Indian Army on time.       deep respect -- as a republic of conti-  size and economic potential, but also  ment from the US Department
                 India is also looking to sign the
            deal for buying Javelin anti-tank   nental scale, as a nation with a proud   from its geography and strategic posi-  of  War,  Colby’s  visit  is  focused  on
                                                                                                                  “advancing the goals established by
                                                                                tion. Your country sits astride the In-
                                              strategic  tradition,  and  as  a  country
            guided missiles from the US through   whose decisions will profoundly shape   dian Ocean, which is the connective  President Trump and Prime Minis-
            the emergency route.              the future of the Indo-Pacific and the in-  tissue of the Indo-Pacific.”  ter Modi in their February 2025 joint
                  Also,  External  Affairs  Minis-
                                                                                    He also lauded India’s “long tra-
                                                                                                                  statement” and “implementing the
            ter S Jaishankar on Wednesday met   ternational landscape more broadly.”  dition of strategic autonomy” and its  Framework  for  the  US-India  Major
                                                    The  senior  Pentagon  official,
            with US Under Secretary of War for   currently on an official visit to India   “formidable, self-reliant, and capable  Defence Partnership.” (ANI)
            Policy Elbridge Colby to discuss the   to strengthen  the bilateral relation-  military forces,” which he described   The Indian Navy is in discussion
            evolving security situation amidst on-  ship,  noted  that  while  both  nations   as being “willing and able to shoulder  with the Americans for the procure-
            going global geopolitical shifts.  possess distinct histories and per-  significant security responsibilities.”  ment of six more P-8I surveillance
                 In a post on X, the External Af-
                                                                                    Addressing the evolving nature  aircraft.
            fairs Minister shared a photograph of   spectives, they are united by a “fun-  of  the  alliance,  the  US  official  de-  The  Rs  30,000  crore  deal  has
                                              damental” conviction.
            the meeting and noted that the two    “Our two countries of course   scribed Washington’s strategy as “in-  been in negotiations for some time
            leaders “exchanged views on the cur-
                                              differ in history, geography, and per-  terests-based  and  realistic,”  moving  now and is likely to be acquired soon.
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