India and the United States recently held their 2+2 Inter-sessional Dialogue virtually, aimed at deepening their strategic partnership in a rapidly shifting global order.

The talks took place at a time of underlying strain in bilateral economic ties, largely owing to tariff-related tensions that emerged under the Trump administration’s trade policies.

Despite these frictions, both countries demonstrated a strong determination to take forward cooperation in key strategic areas such as trade and investment, critical minerals, energy security, and civil nuclear collaboration.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the discussions underscored the shared intent to reinforce multilateral frameworks while at the same time expanding the bilateral cooperation architecture.

A central theme of the meeting was critical minerals—a key choke-point in global supply chains where India and the US share both vulnerabilities and strategic opportunities. With India seeking to reduce its dependence on China for rare earth elements and other critical raw materials, Washington has emerged as a natural partner given its global alliances and recent moves to secure mineral access in Africa, Latin America, and Australia.

The dialogue touched upon initiatives under the National Critical Mineral Mission in India and ongoing US-led international projects that can pool resources, research, and technology for sustainable extraction, processing, and recycling.

Both sides recognised critical minerals as foundational not only for clean energy and advanced technologies like electric vehicles, batteries, and wind turbines, but also for defence production and space applications—sectors where Indo-US collaboration is steadily intensifying.

Energy security and civil nuclear cooperation also figured prominently in the talks. With New Delhi accelerating its transition to cleaner energy and seeking to integrate nuclear power into its broader decarbonisation strategy, Washington expressed strong support in advancing nuclear energy partnerships, building on existing pacts and enabling smoother technology transfers.

The civil nuclear sector remains a symbol of Indo-US strategic trust, and this dialogue reaffirmed commitments to deepen cooperation in reactor technology, nuclear safety, and supply chain resilience for nuclear fuels. Energy discussions further involved diversification of petroleum supplies, exploration of new areas for LNG cooperation, and joint investment in renewables.

On the defence and security front, the inter-sessional dialogue reinforced the momentum generated in the last India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. Both sides emphasised signing a new 10-year framework under the India-US Major Defence Partnership, which would institutionalise cooperation in defence industrial production, joint R&D, aerospace, and maritime security.

To give practical shape to these objectives, participants placed emphasis on the India-US COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology) framework as a comprehensive vehicle for driving collaboration at the intersection of technology, industry, and defence procurement. Science and technology cooperation, particularly in frontier domains like artificial intelligence, quantum, and space, was highlighted as a force multiplier for both nations’ strategic interests.

Regionally, the dialogue reaffirmed the Indo-Pacific as a shared priority. Both sides reiterated their commitment to strengthening the Quad partnership with Japan and Australia, emphasising its role in ensuring a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

Maritime security, supply chain resilience, and information-sharing mechanisms to counter regional disruptions—largely stemming from China’s economic coercion and territorial assertiveness—were discussed as critical deliverables. At the same time, both countries sought to underscore that Indo-Pacific cooperation is not aimed at exclusion but at fostering stability, connectivity, and prosperity across Asia and beyond.

The inter-sessional dialogue concluded on an optimistic note, with Indian and American representatives stressing continuity and expansion of engagement across the spectrum of security, energy, trade, and technological cooperation. India’s Additional Secretary for the Americas, Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur, and Defence Ministry Joint Secretary Vishwesh Negi co-chaired the dialogue alongside US Senior Bureau Official Bethany P. Morrison and Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Jedidiah P. Royal.

Their closing remarks emphasised that the discussions were productive and strategically aligned with the leadership vision on both sides. The chairs expressed appreciation for the progress made under the current agenda and committed to intensifying collaboration in ways that mutually benefit the people of India and the United States.

In essence, this 2+2 Inter-sessional Dialogue served to reaffirm the resiliency of Indo-US relations despite ongoing tariff challenges. It spotlighted the emerging convergence on critical minerals, civil nuclear energy, and defence innovation as future pillars of cooperation.

Set against the backdrop of volatile global supply chains, energy transitions, and Indo-Pacific strategic competition, the dialogue adds greater depth to the bilateral partnership while also reinforcing the broader Quad agenda. It signals that India and the US are keen not only to manage differences in trade but also to push forward a comprehensive, long-term strategic alignment in technology, minerals, energy, and security.

Based On A PTI Report