US, India Need Not Agree On Everything says Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby
US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby said the United States and India do not need to agree on every issue to cooperate effectively, as both countries work to strengthen strategic coordination in the Indo-Pacific. Speaking during his India visit, Colby said Washington sees India not only as an important regional partner but as an essential long-term partner in maintaining a favourable balance of power in Asia. He also backed India’s efforts to build a stronger domestic defence industrial base.
US-India Defence Ties Focus On Practical Cooperation
Colby said the goal of the relationship should be practical cooperation rather than complete alignment on every matter. He stressed that the larger objective is to ensure Indian and US forces can operate effectively together in the Indo-Pacific whenever their interests align. His remarks reflect a more realistic framing of the partnership, centred on shared strategic outcomes rather than total policy convergence.
US Supports India Defence Industrial Base
The senior US official said Washington supports India’s push to build a strong domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem. He described a robust local industrial base as important for sovereignty and resilience, and said India was already making progress in that direction. His comments are significant because defence co-development and co-production remain central themes in bilateral ties.
Indo-Pacific Cooperation Expands In Key Sectors
Colby said the US is committed to expanding cooperation with India in long-range precision weapons, maritime domain awareness, anti-submarine warfare, resilient logistics and other advanced technologies. He made the remarks while in India for the Defence Policy Group meeting with Defence Secretary RK Singh. The comments underline the continuing push to deepen military and technological cooperation as both countries respond to strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific.
