USINDOPACOM Chief Admiral Paparo Begins India Visit to Advance Defence Cooperation

US Indo-Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel J. Paparo began a visit to India on Saturday as Washington and New Delhi seek to deepen defence cooperation and strengthen military-to-military engagement across the Indo-Pacific.

The US Embassy in India said Paparo will hold discussions with Indian counterparts on a range of shared security priorities, including the use of emerging technologies, digital transformation, regional strategic stability and defence energy resilience.

The visit will also focus on navigating an increasingly competitive technology environment, as both countries seek to expand their defence partnership into areas involving advanced capabilities and emerging security challenges.

According to the US mission, the engagement reflects the broader evolution of the India-US defence relationship, with both sides working to strengthen cooperation in areas ranging from maritime security to emerging technologies.

The embassy said Paparo's visit also underlines the importance Washington places on its defence partnership with India and its interests in the Indian Ocean region.

India and the US have significantly expanded defence cooperation over the past two decades through military exercises, operational exchanges, logistics arrangements and initiatives involving defence technology and industrial cooperation. The two countries also regularly engage on maritime security and interoperability in the Indo-Pacific.

Paparo previously visited India earlier this year, when he held discussions with senior Indian military officials on regional maritime security and operational cooperation. During that visit, he also travelled to Indian military and aerospace facilities, including the Indian Army's Western Command headquarters at Chandimandir and facilities associated with India's Tejas fighter programme in Bengaluru.

The USINDOPACOM commander has also previously engaged with Indian military leadership on strengthening information-sharing, maritime domain awareness and the ability of the two countries' forces to operate together during security and humanitarian missions.

India and the US are members of the Quad grouping along with Japan and Australia, which focuses on cooperation across areas including maritime security, critical and emerging technologies, infrastructure and regional resilience.

At the same time, New Delhi continues to maintain its policy of strategic autonomy and engages with a wide range of major powers and multilateral groupings, including BRICS.

Paparo's latest visit comes shortly after Indian and US leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation in areas including defence, energy, trade and critical technologies. The two sides have reaffirmed their intention to continue strengthening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for the two militaries to discuss evolving security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and identify areas for further cooperation. India's defence engagement with the US has continued to expand, with senior military leaders from both countries regularly holding consultations on maritime security, interoperability and regional stability.