Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra conducted a visit to Washington, DC, United States, from April 10-12, as reported by the Embassy of India in the US. During this visit, Foreign Secretary Kwatra engaged in an extensive review of the progress toward strengthening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
Meetings with counterparts at the State Department included discussions with Deputy Secretaries Richard Verma and Kurt Campbell, among other senior officials, according to the embassy’s press release. Deputy Secretary Campbell expressed enthusiasm about the ongoing cooperation between the US and India, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
Additionally, Foreign Secretary Kwatra held discussions with key officials from the National Security Council, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, and Department of Energy. These discussions covered various aspects of the India-US relationship, including defense and commercial ties, supply chain resilience, and regional developments.
Furthermore, meetings were conducted with representatives from prominent think tanks and chambers of commerce. This visit aligns with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, facilitating the advancement of their growing partnership, the release emphasized.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks hosted Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra at the Pentagon to discuss priorities for enhancing the US-India defense partnership, according to a statement from Pentagon Spokesman Eric Pahon. Hicks underscored the importance of expanding the partnership in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Both officials acknowledged the significant progress in the Major Defense Partnership, highlighting collaborative efforts in areas such as co-production of fighter jet engines and armored vehicles, as well as the success of initiatives like the India-US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) in fostering innovation and partnerships.
Deputy Secretary Hicks and Foreign Secretary Kwatra emphasized the importance of broadening the scope of US-India military engagements across all domains while emphasizing shared efforts to promote stability and security in the Indo-Pacific. They discussed various regional security issues and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.