India and U.S. Forge a Bold Partnership for the 21st Century: India - U.S. Joint Statement
New Delhi, Feb 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald J. Trump reaffirmed the strength of the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, anchored in mutual trust, shared interests, goodwill and robust engagement of their citizens.
Donald J. Trump hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an Official Working Visit in Washington, DC, on February 13, 2025, which signalled a new phase of cooperation spanning defence, trade, energy, and technology.
Defence Cooperation: Strengthening Strategic Ties
Highlighting the "deepening convergence of U.S.-India strategic interests," the leaders launched the "U.S.-India COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology) for the 21st Century" to drive transformative change. A new ten-year Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defence Partnership is set to be signed this year, expanding interoperability and defence industrial cooperation.
President Trump and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the "significant integration of U.S.-origin defence items into India's inventory," including C-130J Super Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, P-8I Poseidon aircraft, and Apache helicopters. They announced plans to "pursue this year new procurements and co-production arrangements" for Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and Stryker Infantry Combat Vehicles. Additionally, the procurement of six more P-8I Maritime Patrol aircraft is expected to be finalized.
The two nations will review their arms transfer regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), to "streamline defence trade, technology exchange, and maintenance." Recognizing India’s status as a Major Defence Partner, the U.S. announced a policy review for the release of "fifth-generation fighters and undersea systems" to India.
To further strengthen military cooperation, the leaders announced the "Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA)," facilitating collaboration between Anduril Industries and Mahindra Group on advanced autonomous technologies. The upcoming "Tiger Triumph" tri-service exercise will be scaled up, reinforcing joint military readiness.
The leaders also pledged to elevate military cooperation across all domains – air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace – through enhanced training, exercises, and operations, incorporating the latest technologies. The leaders welcomed the forthcoming "Tiger Triumph” tri-service exercise (first inaugurated in 2019) with larger scale and complexity to be hosted in India.
Finally, the leaders committed to break new ground to support and sustain the overseas deployments of the U.S. and Indian militaries in the Indo-Pacific, including enhanced logistics and intelligence sharing, as well as arrangements to improve force mobility for joint humanitarian and disaster relief operations along with other exchanges and security cooperation engagements.
Trade and Investment: Aiming for 'Mission 500'
Setting an ambitious goal, the leaders announced "Mission 500," aiming to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. "To advance this innovative, wide-ranging Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA)," the nations will enhance market access, reduce tariffs, and deepen supply chain integration.
The U.S. welcomed India’s tariff reductions on key American exports, including bourbon, motorcycles, and ICT products, while India acknowledged U.S. measures to expand Indian agricultural exports such as mangoes and pomegranates. The leaders also pledged to "increase U.S. exports of industrial goods to India and Indian exports of labour-intensive manufactured products" to balance trade growth.
With a focus on greenfield investments, Indian companies have pledged over $7.35 billion in the U.S., supporting "over 3,000 high-quality jobs." Notable investments include Hindalco’s Novelis, JSW’s steel operations, and Jubilant Pharma’s expansion in Washington.
Energy Security: Ensuring Stability and Affordability
Recognizing "energy security as fundamental to economic growth," the leaders re-committed to the U.S.-India Energy Security Partnership. They highlighted the need for "stable energy markets" and strategic petroleum reserves to safeguard economic stability.
The U.S. affirmed support for India’s full membership in the International Energy Agency, while both nations committed to expanding trade in hydrocarbons, including "natural gas, ethane, and petroleum products." Additionally, they pledged to "fully realize the U.S.-India 123 Civil Nuclear Agreement" by advancing plans for U.S.-designed nuclear reactors in India.
Technology and Innovation: Advancing Strategic Collaboration
The launch of the "U.S.-India TRUST (Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology) initiative" marks a new chapter in high-tech collaboration. This initiative will facilitate cooperation on "defence, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, energy, and space."
A "U.S.-India Roadmap on Accelerating AI Infrastructure" will be released by year’s end to address investment and regulatory challenges. Meanwhile, the INDUS Innovation bridge will "foster investments in space, energy, and other emerging technologies," complementing the ongoing INDUS-X defence industry partnership.
In the realm of space, 2025 is set to be a "pioneering year," with plans for an Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station through a NASA-ISRO collaboration. The leaders also hailed the upcoming "NISAR" mission, a joint Earth observation project.
Multilateral Cooperation: Strengthening Regional and Global Security
President Trump and Prime Minister Modi reiterated their commitment to a "free, open, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region." As part of the Quad partnership, India will host the Quad Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, activating new initiatives in "airlift capacity for disaster response and maritime patrols."
Acknowledging India’s role as a "net security provider" in the Indian Ocean Region, the leaders launched the "Indian Ocean Strategic Venture," aimed at enhancing economic connectivity. Additionally, they welcomed "Meta’s multi-billion-dollar undersea cable project," which will bolster digital infrastructure across five continents.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to counterterrorism, pledging to "eliminate terrorist safe havens" and calling on Pakistan to "expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators" of attacks such as the 2008 Mumbai bombings. The U.S. announced that "the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved."
People-to-People Ties: Fostering Mobility, Immigration and Education
The leaders recognized the significant contributions of the "300,000-strong Indian student community in the U.S.," which generates over $8 billion annually. To strengthen educational collaboration, both nations will "expand dual-degree programs and establish offshore campuses of premier U.S. institutions in India."
Both leaders emphasized that the evolution of the world into a global workplace calls for putting in place innovative, mutually advantageous and secure mobility frameworks. In this regard, the leaders committed to streamlining avenues for legal mobility of students and professionals and facilitating short-term tourist and business travel while also aggressively addressing illegal immigration and human trafficking by taking strong action against bad actors, criminal facilitators, and illegal immigration networks to promote mutual security for both countries.
The leaders also committed to strengthen law enforcement cooperation to take decisive action against illegal immigration networks, organized crime syndicates, including narco-terrorists human and arms traffickers, as well as other elements who threaten public and diplomatic safety and security, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both nations.
A Vision for the Future
As President Trump and Prime Minister Modi pledged to "sustain high-level engagement," they reaffirmed their vision for an enduring India-U.S. partnership. With a focus on "mutual prosperity, global stability, and a free and open Indo-Pacific," the leaders underscored that their "ambitious vision serves the global good and contributes to a prosperous future."
