Pete Hegseth praises India’s military modernisation and deeper US-India defence ties at Shangri-La Dialogue

India a strategic anchor

India has emerged as “a key pillar of regional stability,” US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Saturday at the Shangri‑La Dialogue, praising New Delhi’s rapid military modernisation and expanding defence cooperation with Washington. The remarks, made on the second day of the security summit, underscored growing US recognition of India’s role in balancing power across the Indo‑Pacific and the Indian Ocean.

Why India matters now
“In South Asia, India is a critical anchor to hold the line,” Hegseth told delegates in the morning session, according to an official readout. He argued that a stronger India acting in its own strategic interest helps advance shared goals of deterrence and regional balance, particularly as countries face more complex maritime and territorial security challenges.

Growing military strength
Hegseth highlighted India’s modernisation drive, saying New Delhi is building the capabilities needed “to carry its share of the security burden, particularly in the Indian Ocean.” He pointed to improvements across platforms and logistics and noted India’s expanding ability to sustain high‑end operations — a shift that US officials say reduces single‑point dependencies in the region.

Defence industrial base expands
The US defence chief emphasised India’s growing defence‑industrial capacity, including infrastructure to repair and maintain complex platforms. “It’s building out the heavy industrial and logistics capacity to sustain high‑end military operations, including the ability to repair and maintain our shared platforms and support US Navy vessels operating forward in the theatre,” Hegseth said.

Co-production and interoperability
Washington and New Delhi are also deepening practical cooperation, Hegseth said. He named joint production initiatives as an area of focus and referenced plans for co-production of systems such as Javelin anti‑tank guided munitions. “Real, tangible steps to improve the collective readiness of our forces,” he added, reflecting wider Pentagon efforts to boost interoperability with partner militaries.

Regional context and concerns
Hegseth framed the Indo‑Pacific as the world’s most consequential region and urged partners to strengthen defence preparedness. The comments came amid heightened attention to great‑power competition in Asia and follow a string of diplomatic and military moves by regional actors. “No single nation should be allowed to dominate the region,” he said, referencing broader US strategic aims without naming specific countries.

US defence investment push
The Defence Secretary used the platform to outline an ambitious expansion of American defence spending and manufacturing. He described a “historic national manufacturing mobilisation” to produce weapons at scale and speed. Citing the administration’s planned budget increases, Hegseth said the US would invest heavily to expand what he called “America’s arsenal of freedom” and to sustain military readiness over coming decades.

Ground reactions and implications
Analysts at the summit said Hegseth’s tone reflected a pragmatic US turn toward partnerships rather than unilateral commitments. For India, closer operational ties and co‑production deals could accelerate technology transfers and bolster indigenous defence firms — a boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

What comes next
Officials familiar with the matter said both sides expect more joint exercises, logistics agreements, and co‑development projects to be announced over the next year. Observers will watch for details on basing access, ship repair arrangements in Indian ports, and progress on specific co‑production contracts, which could signal deeper operational integration.

Why it matters to India
For New Delhi, enhanced cooperation offers tools to safeguard maritime trade routes, deter coercion, and modernise its forces without sole dependence on any single external supplier. For the broader region, US‑India convergence strengthens the network of partnerships Washington is building to preserve a rules‑based order in the Indo‑Pacific.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the United States; talks covered defence, trade, energy and Indo‑Pacific cooperation

Marco Rubio met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Seva Teerth in New Delhi on Saturday and extended an invitation from US President Donald Trump for a state visit to the United States, officials said. The meeting — held in the morning at the prime minister’s residence complex — came days after Mr. Trump’s high-profile trip to China and was framed by some US outlets as an effort to shore up relations in Asia.

What happened
According to government sources and news agency reports, the bilateral session brought together senior officials from both sides, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and US Under Secretary Allison Hooker. Discussions covered defence cooperation, trade, energy, strategic technologies and coordination on Indo‑Pacific issues, officials familiar with the talks said.

Ground cues and timing
Rubio’s visit to India began in Kolkata earlier in the week, where he visited Mother Teresa House and met local stakeholders. He arrived in New Delhi on Saturday evening for the meeting with the prime minister and will remain in the country for several more days. His stopover precedes a Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in the capital, scheduled for Tuesday, which Rubio will attend alongside counterparts from Australia and Japan.

Officials’ input
“Productive discussions focused on deepening cooperation in security, trade and critical technologies,” US Ambassador Sergio Gor said in a statement after the meeting. He added that stronger collaboration would support “a free and open Indo‑Pacific,” and called India a vital partner for the United States. Indian officials described the exchange as constructive but declined to disclose details on timelines or specific agreements.

Context: Trump’s China trip
Rubio’s outreach follows Mr. Trump’s visit to Beijing last week, during which the US president publicly praised Chinese President Xi Jinping. Several US media outlets portrayed Rubio’s trip as partly a damage‑control measure meant to reassure regional allies unsettled by Washington’s warmer tone toward Beijing. “The visit appears aimed at reaffirming commitment to partners in Asia,” one US analyst told local reporters on condition of anonymity.

Indo‑Pacific and Iran
Sources said the two sides reviewed developments in West Asia, including the evolving Iran situation, and explored options for coordination. Indian and US officials plan to keep lines of communication open on regional security, according to people briefed on the meetings. The Quad session next week is expected to further discuss shared strategic priorities in the Indo‑Pacific and coordinate on ongoing projects.

Economic and tech strands
Trade and critical technologies were central to the talks, with both sides signalling interest in accelerating cooperation in semiconductors, clean energy and defence manufacturing. Discussions also touched on energy security and avenues to expand bilateral investment, particularly in green technology and supply‑chain resilience.

Public impact and local reaction
In New Delhi, reactions were muted and cautious. Diplomatic observers said an invitation for a state visit is significant symbolically but noted that follow‑up — scheduling, protocol and agendas — will determine the diplomatic payoff. Business groups tracking US‑India ties welcomed continued engagement, saying clearer roadmaps on trade and technology would help investors.

Next steps and outlook
Rubio is slated to deliver remarks at the US Embassy Support Annex Building dedication and attend a reception at Roosevelt House hosted by Ambassador Gor. On Sunday he will hold talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and participate in the US Embassy’s Independence Day events. He will then travel to Agra and Jaipur before returning to New Delhi for the Quad meeting.

For now, officials from both capitals emphasised sustained dialogue. Whether Rubio’s outreach translates into concrete timelines for a Modi visit to Washington or new bilateral pacts will depend on follow‑up negotiations and calendar coordination in coming weeks.