India, US Discuss Strengthening Military Ties; Focus on Renewing 10-Year Defence Framework

New Delhi — India and the United States are exploring ways to deepen their military partnership, with discussions on renewing a 10-year defence framework taking center stage during Admiral Samuel J Paparo’s visit to India this week. Admiral Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, held high-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

The visit, from March 16 to 19, aimed to advance the US-India comprehensive global strategic partnership and further the recently launched COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology) for the 21st Century initiative. The framework seeks to enhance cooperation across defence, trade, energy, technology, and people-to-people ties.

In a statement, the US highlighted the significance of renewing the 10-year Major Defence Partnership, calling it a cornerstone of global peace. Designated as a “Major Defence Partner” in 2016, India enjoys licence-free access to a range of military and dual-use technologies under the Strategic Trade Authorisation Tier 1 status.

Admiral Paparo also participated in the Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship geopolitical conference, where defence and security officials from Quad nations — India, the US, Australia, and Japan — held extensive discussions on maritime security, artificial intelligence integration, and military cooperation.

During the event, Paparo joined a panel on “Deepwater Perils: Securing Trade Through Red Zones,” emphasizing the need for allied cooperation to ensure freedom of navigation and safeguard global trade routes.

In addition to his official meetings, Admiral Paparo visited Purana Qila, one of Delhi’s oldest monuments, symbolizing the deep historical ties between the two nations.

As the US Indo-Pacific Command continues to strengthen military collaboration in the region, India’s growing role as a strategic partner remains central to the shared vision of ensuring stability and security across the Indo-Pacific.