India and the United States have reaffirmed their defence partnership with a strong emphasis on India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, signalling a decisive shift towards domestic manufacturing, technology co-development, and battlefield readiness.

The talks also spanned energy security, civil nuclear cooperation, critical minerals, and emerging technologies, while addressing pressing geopolitical challenges.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar underscored that India’s “Make in India” priorities will remain central to the next phase of defence cooperation with the United States. Speaking alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New Delhi, he stressed that future collaboration must align with India’s domestic manufacturing ambitions and lessons drawn from recent conflicts. This reflects India’s determination to strengthen its defence industrial base while ensuring interoperability with U.S. forces.

The renewed 10-year major defence partnership framework, signed last year at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, provides a roadmap for expanding cooperation across defence technology, military interoperability, and industrial collaboration.

Both sides also reviewed progress on a comprehensive underwater domain awareness roadmap, which is expected to enhance maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Energy security featured prominently in the discussions. Jaishankar reiterated India’s priority of ensuring affordable and reliable energy supplies for its 1.4 billion citizens. He welcomed the recent expansion in bilateral energy trade and emphasised the importance of diversified sourcing to safeguard India’s energy strategy. This comes at a time when global energy markets remain volatile due to conflicts in West Asia.

Civil nuclear cooperation was another key area. Following the passage of the SHANTI Act in the United States, New Delhi sees fresh opportunities for collaboration in the nuclear sector. Jaishankar expressed optimism about realising this potential but also flagged regulatory concerns on the American side that need to be addressed for smoother engagement.

Critical minerals and emerging technologies were highlighted as pillars of future cooperation. India and the U.S. are working together bilaterally and through platforms such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative.

Cooperation in semiconductors and artificial intelligence is expected to grow further as India builds capabilities in these sectors, positioning itself as a key player in global technology supply chains.

The talks also touched upon pressing geopolitical developments. Jaishankar confirmed that discussions would cover the Gulf region, the Ukraine conflict, and the Indo-Pacific. He reiterated India’s foreign policy stance of supporting dialogue and diplomacy for conflict resolution, backing safe and uninterrupted maritime commerce, and opposing the weaponisation of trade, resources, and supply chains.

This reflects India’s broader vision of promoting stability and resilience in global economic and security frameworks.

Rubio, for his part, described India as one of America’s most important strategic partners, emphasising shared democratic values and the global impact of the partnership. His visit also included meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, where discussions focused on defence, strategic technologies, and trade expansion.

The renewed emphasis on “Make in India” within defence cooperation marks a significant evolution in India-U.S. ties. It signals India’s intent to move beyond being a buyer of defence equipment to becoming a co-developer and manufacturer, thereby strengthening its strategic autonomy while deepening its partnership with Washington.

ANI