Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s official visit to Washington DC from May 27 to 29, 2025, marked a significant step in reinforcing the India-U.S. strategic partnership, building upon the momentum generated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States in February 2025.

During his stay, Misri engaged in a comprehensive series of high-level meetings with senior officials across the U.S. administration, including the Department of State, National Security Council, Department of Defence, Department of the Treasury, and Department of Commerce.

The visit was a direct follow-up to the launch of the India-U.S. COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology) for the 21st Century, a landmark initiative designed to catalyse deeper cooperation in key strategic sectors.

At a luncheon meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, both sides reviewed the full spectrum of the bilateral agenda, emphasizing that Technology, Trade, and Talent—the “Three Ts”—would be the foundational pillars of the India-U.S. partnership moving forward.

This framework is expected to guide joint efforts in critical and emerging technologies, facilitate greater market access, and promote the exchange of skilled professionals, thereby strengthening the economic and technological ties between the two nations.

Defence cooperation featured prominently in the discussions. In meetings with Deputy Secretary of Defence Steve Feinberg and Under Secretary for Policy Elbridge Colby, India and the U.S. reaffirmed their commitment to a robust and forward-looking defence partnership.

Key areas of focus included co-production and co-development of military equipment, sustained joint military exercises, enhanced logistics and information-sharing frameworks, and efforts to improve interoperability between the armed forces. These initiatives are aimed at addressing both regional and global security challenges, with particular attention to the Indo-Pacific region.

The discussions also touched upon ongoing projects such as the supply of F-414 engines by General Electric for India’s TEJAS MK-1A fighter jets and the acquisition of Predator drones for surveillance and strategic deterrence.

On the trade and economic front, Foreign Secretary Misri met with Under Secretary of Commerce Jeffrey Kessler to review progress on the India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement. Both sides highlighted the importance of cooperation in critical and emerging technologies and the need to streamline ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) and export control regulations to facilitate smoother technology transfers.

They agreed to convene the next meeting of the India-U.S. Strategic Trade Dialogue at the earliest opportunity, signalling a shared commitment to resolving regulatory hurdles and deepening trade collaboration.

Financial collaboration was another key theme of the visit. In discussions with Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender, Misri explored ways to deepen economic and financial ties, including coordination in international financial institutions and upcoming Financial Action Task Force (FATF) processes. This reflects a mutual interest in strengthening global financial governance and combating illicit financial flows.

Inter-agency discussions further expanded the agenda to include energy security, the TRUST initiative (aimed at building a secure, transparent, and resilient innovation ecosystem), counter-terrorism, the Indian Ocean Strategic Venture, and collaboration through multilateral platforms such as the Quad, I2U2, and IMEEC.

These talks underscored the growing convergence of interests between India and the U.S. in addressing complex global challenges and advancing a rules-based international order.

Foreign Secretary Misri, accompanied by Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor, also chaired a high-level round table with industry representatives, focusing on deepening bilateral collaboration in critical and emerging technologies.

The delegation engaged in substantive discussions with members of the U.S. think tank community, covering the full breadth of the India-U.S. strategic partnership, including regional security, global governance, and the future of technology-driven economies.

The visit reinforced India’s strategic commitment to deepening ties with the United States across defence, trade, technology, and global governance. The outcomes are expected to further position the India-U.S. relationship as a key driver of global stability and innovation in the 21st century.

Based On ANI Report