New Delhi: US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Alison Hooker spoke with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. During the meeting held in February, both sides focused on converting the vision expressed by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi into concrete results. Hooker is on a five-day visit to India to strengthen strategic and economic cooperation.
According to the US Embassy, ​​Hooker conveyed the administration’s intention to advance cooperation in sectors such as defense, energy, technology, space and supply chain resilience. It said, ‘This meeting is an opportunity to translate the vision of President Trump and PM Modi’s February meeting into concrete progress that enhances American security, jobs and competitiveness, while also supporting India’s long-term goals.
The Ministry of External Affairs said that the talks held under the Foreign Office Consultative Mechanism allowed for a large-scale review of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. The agenda included trade, investment, defense relations, civil nuclear cooperation, essential minerals, new technologies and reliable supply chains as well as initiatives to transform relationships using ongoing strategic technology.
The two sides also shared views on regional and global developments and reiterated their common support for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Many big results emerged from PM Modi’s visit to Washington in February, in which India promised to increase the purchase of American oil, gas and military platforms. New Delhi and Washington also agreed to pursue a major trade agreement and set a target of US$500 billion in annual bilateral trade by 2030.
The US Embassy further said that the Under Secretary ‘underscored Washington’s objective to deepen cooperation in defense, energy, technology, space, and reliable supply chains and the value of US-India cooperation that fosters American innovation and helps India emerge as a global technology leader.’
It said he praised the Secretary of State for their continued partnership as the United States and India advance shared priorities that deliver tangible benefits for the American people and serve India’s national objectives. The Foreign Ministry said that both sides welcomed the continued progress being made under the existing dialogue mechanisms and agreed to expand opportunities in military partnership, technology and trade to advance cooperation in key areas of the relationship.
Launched in February, the initiative aims to transform relationships using strategic technology to create secure supply chains, foster innovation, and enhance collaboration on critical and new technologies such as AI and semiconductors. The two governments reaffirmed their commitment to continue dialogue on enhancing trade relations and strengthening cooperation in strategically important sectors.