India-US hold key talks over trade, investment, defence ties, TRUST initiative

INDIA'S Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri and US Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker held discussions on Tuesday (December 9), with both sides focusing on turning the vision outlined by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their February meeting into tangible outcomes.

Hooker is on a five-day visit to India to strengthen strategic and economic cooperation.
MEA reacts

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Tuesday that both sides welcomed the "steady progress" under existing dialogue frameworks.

It said India and the US agreed to accelerate the implementation of the Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology (COMPACT) agenda to advance cooperation across key pillars of the relationship.

The two sides also discussed key bilateral issues, including trade and investment, defence cooperation, the TRUST initiative (Transforming Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology), energy cooperation, including civil nuclear collaboration, technology, critical minerals, and trusted supply chains.

The TRUST initiative, launched in February, aims to create secure supply chains, foster innovation and expand cooperation on critical and emerging technologies, including AI and semiconductors.

Both governments reaffirmed their commitment to continuing discussions on expanding trade ties and strengthening cooperation across strategically important sectors.

What did the US embassy say?

According to the US embassy, Hooker conveyed the administration's intent to advance collaboration in sectors such as defence, energy, technology, space and supply chain resilience.

It was quoted by new agency ANI as saying, “The meeting was an opportunity to translate President Trump and Prime Minister Modi's vision from their February meeting into concrete progress that enhances US security, jobs, and competitiveness, while supporting India's long-term goals.”

The Ministry of External Affairs said the talks, held under the foreign office consultations mechanism, allowed a wide-ranging review of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

The agenda included trade, investment, defence ties, civil nuclear cooperation, critical minerals, emerging technologies and trusted supply chains, as well as the ongoing TRUST initiative.

Both sides also exchanged views on regional and global developments, reaffirming their shared support for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

PM Modi's visit to Washington in February yielded a set of ambitious deliverables, with India committing to expand purchases of American oil, gas and military platforms, including F-35 fighter jets.

New Delhi and Washington also agreed to pursue a major trade agreement and set a target of $500 billion in annual bilateral trade by 2030.

The US embassy added that the undersecretary stressed Washington's aim to deepen cooperation in "defence, energy, technology, space, and trusted supply chains and the value of US-India cooperation that fuels US innovation while supporting India's rise as a global technology leader."

It noted she “expressed appreciation for the foreign secretary's continued partnership as both the United States and India pursue shared priorities that deliver tangible benefits for the American people and complement India's national objectives.”