US and India Strengthen Defense and Critical Mineral Ties

The United States and India are accelerating strategic cooperation across defense and economic sectors. Between January 24 and 29, 2026, a bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by Michael Rogers and Adam Smith visited New Delhi to meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The discussions focused on accelerating technology collaboration and co-production of defense systems under a 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement signed in October 2025 by Rajnath Singh and Pete Hegseth.

These security engagements occur alongside efforts to stabilize trade and secure technology supply chains. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Washington for the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial on February 4, hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During this visit, Jaishankar is expected to finalize India's entry into the Pax Silica initiative, a US-led economic security partnership focusing on semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

The diplomatic push follows a period of economic friction, including a 50 percent US tariff on Indian goods. However, President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about resolving these trade disputes. Additional high-level coordination has included a Finance Ministerial hosted by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and military-to-military engagements between Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and US Secretary of the Army Daniel P. Driscoll.