India-US relations are at a very critical juncture when both countries are trying to transform high-level political vision into actionable outcomes.
Recent talks between US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri aimed at translating the meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February into concrete progress across trade, defense, energy and technology.
India-US Relation: Hooker’s Visit & Strategic Dialogue
Hooker’s five-day visit to India was designed to advance the bilateral strategic and economic ties between the two countries. She underscored that the United States wants to further strengthen cooperation in areas such as defense, energy, space, critical minerals, technology and trusted supply chains.
The discussions also offered a platform to take stock of the progress made towards the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and the execution of initiatives such as COMPACT.
The India-United States Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and US Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker were held in New Delhi earlier today.
The consultations provided an opportunity for a comprehensive review of the India – U.S.… pic.twitter.com/ZN1BLBR6aE
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2025
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India-US Relation: Trade & Economic Challenges
Despite high-level engagement, the ties had been strained following Trump’s decision to double tariffs on Indian goods to 50% and imposition of additional duties on India’s purchase of Russian crude, not to mention repeated critical remarks from US officials against India’s economic and energy policies.
Against this background, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a potential mega trade deal and USD 500 billion in annual trade by 2030, as well as the importance of narrowing the trade deficit.
India-US Relation: Cooperation on Defense, Energy & Technology
Hooker accentuated the possibility of increased cooperation on defense and technology, ranging from civil nuclear cooperation to advanced military platforms. The TRUST initiative launched in February aims at securing supply chains and driving innovation in critical technologies such as AI and semiconductors.
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Both countries agreed to sustain momentum across the dialogue mechanisms and to push transformative collaboration under the COMPACT framework.
India-US Relation: Energy Security & Russian Oil
A sticking point is India’s use of Russian crude, which increased from 1.7% of imports in 2019-20 to 35.1% in 2024-25. The US has asked India to cut its purchases of Russian oil over worries that Moscow is using the revenues to fund the Ukraine conflict. In recent weeks, India’s imports of Russian oil have started to contract amid American sanctions against major Russian oil companies, a development that constitutes a slow but significant shift in energy policy.
The talks between Hooker and Misri drove home several key points: the delicate balance of US-India relations revolves around furthering strategic partnership while managing economic disagreements and energy diplomacy. Both countries vowed to leverage cooperation in trade, defense, and technology toward securing mutual benefits and enhancing India’s role as a global technological and economic leader.
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Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly reported information and does not represent official statements or endorse any political or trade positions.
