Trump Official Highlights Growing India-US Defence And Nuclear Collaboration Across Key Sectors

The United States and India are expanding cooperation in defence, civil nuclear energy and emerging technologies, including the adoption of trusted artificial intelligence systems, US Assistant Secretary of State S Paul Kapur has said. The remarks underline the growing strategic partnership between the two countries as they seek to strengthen economic, technological and security ties. Kapur made the comments during a roundtable discussion on India organised at the Hoover Institution, which was attended by former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former US Ambassador to India David C Mulford.

Highlighting the importance of the bilateral relationship, Kapur said ongoing engagement between Washington and New Delhi was contributing to economic growth while improving supply chain resilience in the region. "Under this Administration, US engagement with India is creating jobs at home and strengthening supply chains that are critical to both the United States and the region," Kapur said in a post on social media platform X. He added that both countries were expanding cooperation in defence and civil nuclear sectors while working together on advanced technologies that are expected to shape future economic growth.

The US official said cooperation in areas such as trusted artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies would play an important role in strengthening the economic partnership between the two nations. The collaboration comes as both countries focus on building secure technology ecosystems, improving innovation capabilities and reducing vulnerabilities in critical sectors. Defence cooperation has remained one of the key pillars of the India-US strategic partnership. Last year, the two countries signed a framework for a major defence partnership aimed at enhancing interoperability across multiple domains, including land, maritime operations, air capabilities, space and cyberspace. The agreement was designed to deepen military coordination and improve cooperation between the armed forces of both countries.

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Over the past two decades, India has become a significant buyer of US defence equipment as military ties between the two nations have expanded. Since 2002, India has acquired several advanced defence platforms from the United States, including Apache and Chinook helicopters, C-17 and C-130J transport aircraft, P-8I maritime patrol aircraft and M777 ultra-light howitzers. The growing defence relationship reflects a broader shift in India-US ties, with both countries increasingly cooperating on regional security challenges, maritime security and technological innovation. Washington and New Delhi have also worked together through strategic groupings focused on maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific region and strengthening supply chain partnerships.

Civil nuclear cooperation remains another important area of engagement between the two countries. The sector has been a part of bilateral discussions aimed at expanding clean energy collaboration and supporting India's long-term energy requirements. Alongside nuclear cooperation, both governments have shown interest in working together on clean technologies, advanced manufacturing and digital innovation. Kapur's remarks come at a time when India and the United States are seeking to further deepen their strategic partnership across economic and security domains. With defence, artificial intelligence, nuclear energy and emerging technologies becoming central areas of cooperation, both nations are expected to continue expanding collaboration in sectors considered critical to their future interests.

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