Indian Foreign Minister Shri Vikram Misri and US Deputy Secretary of State Allison Hooker held discussions on Tuesday (9 December), with both sides focused on turning the vision outlined by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting in February into tangible results.
Hooker is on a five-day visit to India to strengthen strategic and economic cooperation.
MEA reacts
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Tuesday that both sides welcomed “steady progress” under the existing dialogue frameworks.
She said India and the US have agreed to accelerate the implementation of the Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology (COMPACT) agenda to deepen cooperation across key pillars of the relationship.
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The two sides also discussed key bilateral issues, including trade and investment, defense cooperation, TRUST (Transforming Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology), energy cooperation, including civil nuclear cooperation, technology, critical minerals and trusted supply chains.
Launched in February, the TRUST initiative aims to create secure supply chains, foster innovation and expand collaboration on critical and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and semiconductors.
Both governments reaffirmed their commitment to continuing discussions on expanding trade ties and strengthening cooperation across strategically important sectors.
What did the US embassy say about that?
According to the U.S. Embassy, Hooker expressed the administration’s intent to deepen cooperation in sectors such as defense, energy, technology, space and supply chain resilience.
New agency ANI reported: “The meeting was an opportunity to translate President Trump and Prime Minister Modi’s vision from their February meeting into concrete progress that will enhance US security, jobs and competitiveness while supporting India’s long-term goals.
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The Ministry of External Affairs said the talks, which were held under the Foreign Office Consultation Mechanism, enabled a wide-ranging review of the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership.
The program covered trade, investment, defense ties, civil nuclear cooperation, critical minerals, emerging technologies and trusted supply chains, as well as the ongoing TRUST initiative.
The two sides also exchanged views on regional and global developments and reaffirmed their common support for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
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Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Washington in February produced a number of ambitious outputs, with India pledging to expand purchases of US oil, gas and military platforms, including F-35 fighter jets.
New Delhi and Washington also agreed to pursue a major trade deal and set a target of $500 billion in annual bilateral trade by 2030.
The U.S. embassy added that the undersecretary emphasized Washington’s goal to deepen cooperation in “defense, energy, technology, space and trusted supply chains and the value of U.S.-India cooperation that drives American innovation while supporting India’s rise as a global technology leader.”
She noted that she “expressed appreciation for the Secretary of State’s continued partnership as both the United States and India pursue common priorities that bring tangible benefits to the American people and complement India’s national goals.”
