New Delhi: US Ambassador Sergio Gor has underlined that defence and security cooperation remains the cornerstone of the India-US partnership, describing it as the “most strategically significant” area of collaboration even as both countries expand economic and technological ties.
In an interview to Span magazine, the US embassy publication, the envoy highlighted the deepening military engagement between New Delhi and Washington, pointing to growing interoperability, joint exercises and defence sales as key pillars of the relationship.
“India is a major defence partner, and defence cooperation is one of the brightest spots in our bilateral relationship. We also strengthen US-India military interoperability through participation in military exercises such as Malabar, Tiger Triumph and Cope India,” he said.
Emphasising the strategic alignment between the two nations, Gor added: “Both of our nations are also part of the Quad, a strategic partnership that keeps our security interests robust and aligned. These three core aspects -- diplomacy, defence exercises and military sales -- ensure strong, continued defence cooperation. If these aspects are maintained, I predict a natural strengthening of our defence ties.”
His remarks come at a time when both countries are seeking to reinforce ties after a brief period of strain linked to US tariff policies, with renewed focus on strengthening defence coordination in the Indo-Pacific region.
Gor, a close aide of Donald Trump, also stressed that security cooperation is closely linked to broader geopolitical and economic stability. Without naming specific threats, he said the US remains committed to working with partners like India to combat terrorism, violent radicalisation and transnational crime, noting that security and economic prosperity are “intertwined”.
“My vision is to transform the US-India relationship into the defining strategic partnership of the 21st century, one that delivers tangible benefits for both our nations,” he said.
Alongside defence ties, the ambassador highlighted expanding cooperation in critical technologies and supply chains that have direct implications for national security. He noted that both countries are prioritising resilient supply chains for semiconductors and critical minerals under frameworks such as the US-India COMPACT initiative.
“I’m pleased to report that these prospects are exceptionally strong. For example, the US-India COMPACT framework prioritises building resilient supply chains for semiconductors, critical minerals, and pharmaceuticals,” he said.
Referring to India joining the US-led Pax Silica initiative, Gor said, “Pax Silica is focused on further aligning US-India economic and national security interests through partnerships on critical mineral processing capacity and AI infrastructure investments.”