New Delhi — India and the United States discussed ways to advance cooperation in the Indian Ocean region during a phone call between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and U.S. Under Secretary of State Allison M. Hooker, the Ministry of External Affairs said Tuesday.
The talks focused on the India-U.S. Indian Ocean Strategic Venture, an initiative launched by the leaders of the two countries in February 2025.
“Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a productive call with US Under Secretary of State Allison M. Hooker to advance discussions on the India-US Indian Ocean Strategic Venture (IOSV) initiative, launched by the leaders of the two countries in February 2025,” the ministry said in a social media post.
The two officials discussed opportunities for practical cooperation across the Indian Ocean region, including maritime security, strategic infrastructure and connectivity, according to the ministry.
The Indian Ocean Strategic Venture was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump in Washington on Feb. 13, 2025, as a bilateral forum aimed at coordinating investment in economic connectivity and commerce.
In a joint statement issued at the time, the two leaders highlighted India’s role as a provider of development assistance, humanitarian support and regional security in the Indian Ocean.
“The US appreciates India’s role as a developmental, humanitarian assistance and net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region,” the joint statement said, adding that the two countries would deepen dialogue and cooperation across the region.
The latest discussions come after a senior Pentagon official earlier this month described India as a “critical power” and said Washington remains committed to strengthening its partnership with New Delhi.
Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of War for Policy, rejected suggestions that restoring the name Pacific Command signaled reduced U.S. attention to India or the Indian Ocean. He said the change reflected the U.S. military’s focus on the Western Pacific and the first island chain rather than any downgrade in India’s strategic importance.
“This is not in any way a sort of denigration of the importance of the Indian Ocean area or of India itself,” Colby said during a State Department Asia Pacific Media Hub briefing.
“We really see India as a critical power, and the Indian Ocean, of course, is very important,” he added.
Colby said the United States views its relationship with India as one with significant potential for deeper cooperation, even though the two countries may not always agree on every issue.
“If anything, we really see India as a vital relationship where there’s a natural partnership,” he said. (Source: IANS)
