Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The United States sees India as central to maintaining a favourable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday, outlining a roadmap for deeper defence and strategic ties amid shifting global dynamics.Addressing an event at the Ananta Centre, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby said India’s role is indispensable for regional peace and stability, particularly at a time of rising geopolitical tensions and concerns over China’s growing military assertiveness.“The United States believes that India will play a central role in ensuring a favourable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. In this context, a strong, confident India is not only good for the Indian people. It is good for Americans as well,” he said.Colby emphasised that the India-US partnership is anchored in shared strategic interests, even if differences persist.“First, the United States and India do not need to agree on everything to cooperate effectively. What matters is that our interests and objectives increasingly converge on the most fundamental issues,” he said.“Differences and even disputes are fully compatible with deepening alignment and cooperation on strategic matters. The roots of our partnership are deeper than optics and more durable than superficial comity; they are, rather, thickly embedded in lasting strategic mutual self-interest,” he added.Highlighting common goals, Colby said both nations benefit from an Indo-Pacific where no single power dominates, alongside open trade and national autonomy.On defence cooperation, he stressed the need to prioritise tangible capabilities.“In this light, one of the most encouraging developments in recent years has been the steady expansion of defence cooperation between the United States and India”.Quoting US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Colby said bilateral defence ties have never been stronger, with growing momentum in industrial and technology collaboration. He also referred to the ‘Major Defence Partnership’ framework finalised in October.“Our goals should be practical: to ensure that our forces can operate effectively together when our interests align, and in any case to see that India possesses the capabilities necessary to defend its sovereignty and contribute to a favourable regional balance of power,” he said.He added that the US is committed to expanding cooperation in areas such as long-range precision fires, resilient logistics, maritime domain awareness, anti-submarine warfare and advanced technologies.Colby also underlined the importance of co-production and co-development of defence equipment, while acknowledging challenges including regulatory barriers and procurement differences.“But they are not insurmountable and we should overcome them,” he said.He noted that while Washington aims to boost military sales to India, it also supports New Delhi’s push for a stronger domestic defence industry.“A strong domestic industrial base enhances sovereignty and resilience. The United States supports that objective. And India is well on its way,” he said.“India already boasts an impressive defence industrial base and India’s leadership in cutting-edge technologies only further helps broaden our defence cooperation.”Colby reiterated that differences between the two countries are natural and should not hinder cooperation.“Strong partnerships benefit from honesty, respect, and strategic clarity. The truth is that the United States and India will not agree on every issue.”“Indeed, in precisely that spirit, we can say without embarrassment that India and America have not always been partners or even friendly. Our histories and strategic cultures are different, and our interests will of course at times diverge,” he said.
