India, US discuss strengthening military engagement, defence cooperation

US Secretary for Army Daniel P Driscoll and India's COAS General Upendra Dwivedi met in New Delhi, focusing on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and military engagement. The meeting reinforces the shared commitment of both armies to global peace.

Daniel P Driscoll, the US Secretary for Army, called on COAS General Upendra Dwivedi. They held discussions on deepening bilateral defence cooperation, and strengthening military engagement between New Delhi and Washington.

Sharing the details of the meeting in a post on X on Sunday, the Additional Directorate General of the Indian Army said, "Mr Daniel P Driscoll, US Secretary of the Army, called on General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral Defence Cooperation, deepening military-to-military engagement, and reinforcing the shared commitment of both armies to global peace and security." Mr Daniel P Driscoll, US Secretary of the Army, called on #GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral #DefenceCooperation, deepening military-to-military engagement, and reinforcing the shared commitment of both armies to global peace and… pic.twitter.com/8tLjmV504d — ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) January 25, 2026

Sustained Momentum in Defence Ties

The visit by the Secretary of Army comes as India and the United States see sustained momentum in defence ties.

Maritime Partnership and Security

In November last year, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi paid a visit to the United States, aimed at deepening the India-US maritime partnership and advancing shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

The discussions focused on the core pillars of India-US defence cooperation. Both sides reviewed plans to strengthen maritime security and domain awareness, expand operational interoperability, enhance information sharing, protect sea lines of communication and undersea infrastructure, and coordinate responses to humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, search and rescue, counter-piracy, and other non-traditional security challenges.

Key Military Equipment Sales

Earlier in November, the United States had also approved the sale of an FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank guided missile system and the M982A1 Excalibur precision-guided artillery projectiles and associated equipment to India, with an estimated value of USD 47.1 million.

The Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the sale in a notification saying that the US State Department has approved the sale of USD 93 million worth of military equipment. The purchase includes 100 Javelin missiles, one fly-to-buy round, 25 command-launch units, training aids, simulation rounds, spare parts and full lifecycle support.

Major Defence Partnership Framework Signed

In October, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Friday exchanged an agreement on the framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership in Kuala Lumpur, marking a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral defence cooperation between the two nations.

The development came as the United States signed a 10-year Defence Framework Agreement with India, underscoring the growing strategic alignment between the two countries. Announcing the development, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the two nations' "defence ties have never been stronger." (ANI)

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