US, India Deepen Strategic Partnership with Expanded Defence and Civil Nuclear Cooperation

Washington: India and the United States are taking significant steps to deepen their strategic partnership by expanding collaboration in defence, civil nuclear energy and advanced technologies, reinforcing a relationship that continues to evolve across security and economic sectors.

The development was highlighted by US Assistant Secretary of State S. Paul Kapur, who said the two countries are broadening cooperation in key areas that will contribute to regional stability while supporting innovation and resilient supply chains. His remarks came during a roundtable discussion on India hosted by the Hoover Institution, attended by former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former US Ambassador to India David C. Mulford.

Sharing details of the discussion on social media platform X, Kapur said the current US administration views its engagement with India as an important driver of economic growth and strategic cooperation. According to him, stronger bilateral ties are creating employment opportunities in the United States while helping both countries build dependable supply chains for critical industries.

A major focus of the expanding partnership is defence cooperation. Kapur noted that both governments are working to enhance military collaboration while also promoting the use of trusted artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies that are expected to play a vital role in future economic and security frameworks.

The growing technology partnership reflects a shared commitment to adopting secure and reliable digital solutions across strategic sectors. Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing and next-generation technologies are increasingly becoming central pillars of the India-US relationship as both nations seek to address evolving global challenges.

Defence cooperation between New Delhi and Washington has steadily strengthened over the past two decades. In 2025, the two countries signed a comprehensive defence partnership framework designed to improve interoperability between their armed forces across land, maritime, air, space and cyber domains. The agreement aims to facilitate closer military coordination, joint exercises and greater information sharing.

India has also emerged as one of the largest purchasers of American defence equipment. Since 2002, the country has inducted a wide range of US-origin military platforms into its armed forces, including Apache attack helicopters, Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, C-17 Globemaster and C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft and M777 ultra-light howitzers. These acquisitions have significantly enhanced India’s operational capabilities while strengthening defence ties with Washington.

Alongside military cooperation, civil nuclear energy has become another promising area of engagement. American nuclear power companies have shown increasing interest in participating in India’s expanding clean energy programme, particularly after New Delhi introduced reforms aimed at encouraging greater international investment.

Earlier this year, a delegation comprising senior executives from leading US nuclear companies visited India to explore partnership opportunities with domestic firms. The visit followed the enactment of the SHANTI law, which eased liability related concerns and created a more favourable policy environment for international participation in India’s civil nuclear sector.

The renewed interest from American companies is expected to support India’s long-term energy security objectives while contributing to its transition toward cleaner sources of electricity generation. Increased collaboration in nuclear technology could also strengthen research, manufacturing and workforce development in both countries.

Analysts believe the expanding partnership demonstrates the growing convergence of India and the United States on strategic, technological and economic priorities. As geopolitical dynamics continue to evolve in the Indo-Pacific region, both nations are placing greater emphasis on building resilient partnerships that promote stability, innovation and sustainable growth.

With cooperation now extending from defence platforms and nuclear energy to trusted artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, the India-US partnership is expected to remain a key pillar of regional security and future economic development.