'Weathered many challenges': India stays the course in defence ties with US despite Trump’s tariff tirade, bonhomie with Pakistan

New Delhi: Notwithstanding President Donald Trump’s tariff tirade against New Delhi and his administration’s bonhomie with the Pakistan Army, India is keen to stay the course in its strategic partnership with the United States, particularly in the areas of defence.

New Delhi is set to host a delegation of senior officials from Washington, D.C., soon for the meeting of the India-US Defence Policy Group.

The soldiers of the Indian Army and the US Army will also take part in the 21st edition of the ‘Yudh Abhyas’ – an annual drill – in Alaska from September 1 to 14.

Besides, the diplomats and senior defence officials of the two sides will take part in the intersessional meeting of the India-US 2+2 dialogue, setting the stage for the visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Washington, D.C., for the meeting with counterparts Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, respectively.

The two sides also have plans to sign a new 10-year Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership in the 21st Century this year, in addition to starting negotiations for a reciprocal defence procurement agreement.

“India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges, as we had said earlier as well,” Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. “We remain focused on the substantive agenda that the two countries have committed to, and we hope that the relationship will continue to move forward based on mutual respect and shared interests.”

He was replying to a question from a journalist on the future course of New Delhi’s relations with Washington, D.C., in the wake of Trump’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on all exports from India to the US.

The bilateral relations also came under stress due to Trump’s relentless claims about his role in brokering the May 10 ceasefire between New Delhi and Islamabad, as well as his administration’s bonhomie with the Pakistan Army and blatant disregard for India’s views on the export of terrorism from Pakistan and areas under the control of Pakistan.

“For years, the India-US defence partnership, underpinned by foundational defence agreements, is an important pillar of the bilateral partnership. This robust cooperation has strengthened across several domains,” the MEA spokesperson told journalists.

The US delegation for the Defence Policy Dialogue will be led by Under Secretary of Defence for Policy, Elbridge Colby, who will join the Defence Secretary of the Government of India, R K Singh, in chairing the meeting and exploring ways to expand defence industrial cooperation, implementation of foundational defence agreements signed by the two governments, military-to-military cooperation, and exercises. They will also review the ongoing cooperative activities in the Indo-Pacific region, a source in New Delhi told DH.

Trump, on June 19, riled New Delhi by hosting Pakistan Army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, whom New Delhi accused of provoking the April 22 carnage in J&K with an incendiary speech.

Munir also attended the farewell ceremony of General Michael Erik Kurilla, the outgoing commander of the US Central Command, at the Tampa Convention Centre in Florida on August 8. Kurilla had called Pakistan a phenomenal counterterrorism partner of the US just a few weeks ago.

The US also recently stated that its military partnership with Pakistan was key to ensuring nuclear security in South Asia.

The Trump Administration wants India to buy more military hardware from the US, including the fifth-generation F-35 fighter aircraft. New Delhi, however, has not yet officially started talks with Washington, D.C., for the acquisition of the aircraft.

“As far as the question of defence acquisition is concerned, the procurement processes continue as per established procedures,” Jaiswal told journalists in New Delhi.