‘Strong India good for US’: Trump admin on countering China’s hold on Indo-Pacific | India News
New Delhi: The US sees India as central to maintaining a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday, outlining a roadmap for deeper defense and strategic ties amid changing global dynamics.Addressing an event at the Ananta Center, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby said India’s role is essential for regional peace and stability, especially at a time of rising geopolitical tensions and concerns over China’s growing military assertiveness.“The United States believes that India will play a central role in ensuring a favorable balance of power in the Pacific region. In this context, a strong, confident India is not only good for the Indian people. It is also good for Americans,” he said.Colby emphasized that the Indo-US partnership is anchored in shared strategic interests, even if differences persist.“First, the US and India do not need to agree on everything to cooperate effectively. What matters is that our interests and objectives are increasingly aligned on the most fundamental issues,” he said.“Differences and even conflicts are entirely consistent with deep alignment and cooperation on strategic issues. The roots of our partnership are deeper than optics and more durable than superordinate committees; they are rather deeply embedded with long-standing strategic mutual interests,” he added.Highlighting common goals, Colby said both countries benefit from an Indo-Pacific with open trade and national autonomy as well as no single power hegemony.On defense cooperation, he emphasized the need to prioritize real capabilities.“In this light, one of the most encouraging developments in recent years has been the steady expansion of defense cooperation between the United States and India”.Quoting US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Colby said the bilateral defense relationship has never been stronger, with increasing momentum in industrial and technological cooperation. He also mentioned the ‘Major Defense Partnership’ framework finalized in October.“Our goals should be practical: to ensure that our forces can operate effectively when our interests converge, and to ensure that India has the necessary capabilities to defend its sovereignty and contribute to a favorable regional balance of power in any case,” he said.He added that the US is committed to expanding cooperation in areas such as long-range precision fire, resilient logistics, maritime domain awareness, anti-submarine warfare and advanced technology.Colby also underlined the importance of co-production and co-development of defense equipment, while acknowledging challenges including regulatory hurdles and procurement differences.“But they are not insurmountable and we have to overcome them,” he said.He noted that while Washington aims to increase military sales to India, it supports New Delhi’s push for a strong domestic defense industry.“A strong domestic industrial base enhances sovereignty and resilience. The United States supports that objective. And India is well on its way,” he said.“India already boasts an impressive defense industrial base and India’s leadership in cutting-edge technology helps us further expand our defense cooperation.”Colby reiterated that differences between the two countries are normal and should not hinder cooperation.“Strong partnerships benefit from honesty, respect and strategic clarity. The truth is that the US and India will not agree on everything.”“Indeed, precisely in that spirit, we can say without embarrassment that India and America have not always been partners or even friendly. Our histories and strategic cultures are different, and our interests certainly diverge at times,” he said.
