India – US Officials Highlight India’s Strategic Role in Indo-Pacific Stability
India – The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with India as part of a broader strategy to maintain balance and stability across South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. –
The United States views South Asia as a region of critical geopolitical importance, with India positioned at its core, according to senior American officials who addressed lawmakers this week. Speaking before a congressional subcommittee on US foreign policy in South and Central Asia, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs S. Paul Kapur described India as central to maintaining a stable regional order.
India’s Geographic and Strategic Weight
Kapur emphasized that India’s demographic scale and geographic reach give it unmatched influence in South Asia. With a population exceeding one billion and territory spanning a vast subcontinental landmass, India occupies a pivotal location that connects the Indian Ocean to the broader Indo-Pacific. He warned that if a hostile power were to dominate South Asia, it could gain significant leverage over global trade routes and economic systems.
According to Kapur, ensuring that no single country exerts overwhelming control in the region remains a key objective of US foreign policy. He stressed that Washington’s goal is not to isolate any specific nation but to prevent any dominant power from using coercive tactics to shape regional outcomes.
Strategic Autonomy Seen as an Advantage
A recurring theme in Kapur’s testimony was India’s strategic autonomy. He argued that an India capable of making independent decisions contributes to a more balanced Indo-Pacific. Such autonomy, he said, limits the possibility of any one nation establishing unchecked dominance across a region that is vital to global commerce and security.
Kapur framed the current US approach as one built on partnership rather than unilateral action. He noted that cooperation with like-minded countries, including India, reflects a broader strategy in which responsibilities are shared. Maintaining a free and open regional order, he told lawmakers, requires collaboration among democratic partners.
Trade Framework Signals New Phase
The testimony followed a recent agreement between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on what US officials described as a historic trade framework. Kapur told the panel that the deal would allow both governments to redirect attention to other strategic priorities after months of negotiations.
Details highlighted during the hearing indicated that the new arrangement sets India’s tariff rate at 18 percent, positioning it among the lower rates in the region. Lawmakers also pointed to India’s commitment to increase purchases of American energy supplies as part of the agreement.
Congressman Bill Huizenga, who chairs the subcommittee, described India as an essential strategic partner and underlined its status as the world’s largest democracy and one of the fastest-growing major economies. He said the trade agreement demonstrates progress in economic engagement while reinforcing shared security objectives.
Defence and Technology Cooperation Expands
Beyond trade, US officials outlined a broader agenda that includes defence collaboration, targeted investment, and diplomatic coordination. Kapur confirmed that despite occasional tensions in commercial negotiations, defence ties have continued to advance.
A newly signed ten-year defence framework aims to deepen military interoperability, expand joint exercises, and strengthen operational coordination. Kapur noted that potential future purchases of American defence systems by India are under discussion. Such acquisitions, he said, would support India’s security needs while contributing to job creation in the United States.
Energy and technology cooperation also featured prominently. Indian procurement of US-made drones and liquefied natural gas was cited as evidence of expanding ties in high-tech and energy sectors.
Bipartisan Support for Stronger Ties
Democratic Congressman Ami Bera stressed that engagement with India has enjoyed consistent backing from both major US political parties. He noted that strategic cooperation has progressed steadily across multiple administrations, reflecting long-term consensus on the importance of the relationship.
Kapur also pointed to collaboration through the Quad framework, which brings together the United States, India, Japan, and Australia. He described the grouping as an important platform for coordinating efforts among countries that share common regional goals.
Over the past two decades, the US-India partnership has broadened significantly, covering defence, trade, energy security, and emerging technologies. Lawmakers from both parties indicated that this trajectory is expected to continue as Washington and New Delhi navigate evolving challenges in South Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific.