Strengthening Ties: India and U.S. Discuss Defense Cooperation
New Delhi — On Tuesday, India and the United States held talks to enhance their defense and strategic partnership as Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met with Admiral Samuel Paparo, the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, in New Delhi.
According to India’s Ministry of Defence, the two officials exchanged views on various regional and global issues during their meeting. The ministry emphasized the aim to bolster India-U.S. defense cooperation.
“Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh met with Admiral Samuel Paparo, who is visiting India. They discussed ways to strengthen India-U.S. defense ties and shared insights on important regional matters,” the ministry stated on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
During his visit, Admiral Paparo also held discussions with several senior Indian military officials, reflecting the growing defense partnership between the two nations. On the previous day, he met with India’s Chief of Defence Staff General N. S. Raja Subramani, Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth, Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, and Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, among others.
U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor highlighted Admiral Paparo’s significance, describing him as one of America’s key military leaders. He noted that Paparo’s meetings emphasized the increasing importance of the U.S.-India Major Defence Partnership.
“Admiral Paparo’s discussions with India’s top military officials showed the ambition and strength of our defense ties,” Gor posted on X.
Paparo also met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, where the focus was on enhancing security partnerships and maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. Jaishankar expressed his satisfaction with the meeting, stating, “We discussed strengthening our security partnership and maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific,” on X.
Admiral Paparo began his six-day official visit to New Delhi on October 3, aiming to deepen defense relationships between India and the U.S. His talks with Indian officials covered shared security priorities, including advancements in technology, digital transformation, and stability in the region.
The U.S. Embassy in India reported, “From emerging technologies to maritime security, the United States and India are committed to building a defense partnership that is ready to face future challenges.”
