External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday met a US Congressional delegation in New Delhi, as India and the United States continued high-level engagements aimed at strengthening bilateral ties across diplomacy, defence, trade and regional security.
The delegation included US Representatives Mike Rogers and Adam Smith, Jimmy Patronis, and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor. Discussions focused on various aspects of India–US relations, developments in the Indo-Pacific region, and the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Sharing details of the meeting on X, Jaishankar said, "A good interaction with US Congressional Delegation comprising Representative Mike Rogers, Representative Adam Smith and Jimmy Patronis along with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor. Discussed various aspects of India–US ties, Indo-Pacific and Ukraine conflict. Congressional interactions have always been an important facet of our relationship."
The meeting follows a series of recent diplomatic engagements between the two countries. On January 18, Jaishankar met US Senator Steve Daines in the capital, holding what he described as a wide-ranging discussion on the bilateral relationship and its strategic significance.
Earlier, on January 13, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Jaishankar over the phone to review key areas of cooperation, including civil nuclear energy, trade negotiations, defence, critical minerals and regional security in the Indo-Pacific. Rubio congratulated India on the enactment of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, a key development in India's nuclear energy framework.
According to US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, the US is keen to build on the new legislation to strengthen civil nuclear cooperation, expand opportunities for American companies, enhance shared energy security goals and secure critical mineral supply chains. Both sides also discussed ongoing bilateral trade negotiations and reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Parallel to the diplomatic outreach, defence cooperation between the two countries also saw momentum. Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi met US Secretary of the Army Daniel P. Driscoll in New Delhi on Sunday. Their discussions focused on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, deepening military-to-military engagement, and reinforcing the shared commitment to global peace and security.
In a post on X, the Indian Army said the talks underscored the growing defence partnership between the two nations. US Ambassador Sergio Gor also welcomed Driscoll to India, calling it a warm and friendly visit.
India–US defence ties are anchored in the New Framework for India–US Defence Cooperation, renewed for 10 years in 2015. The relationship was elevated to a Major Defence Partnership in 2016, and in 2018, India was placed in Tier-1 of the US Department of Commerce's Strategic Trade Authorisation licence exception. Defence cooperation today includes regular bilateral dialogues, joint military exercises and defence procurements.
(With inputs from IANS)
