Despite visible political frictions in 2025 — including trade disputes, U.S. tariff pressures, and the postponement of the Quad Leaders’ Summit that India was to host — the deeper institutional foundations of India–United States relations remain robust. Beneath the surface-level diplomatic unease, defence, technology, and bureaucratic cooperation between the two democracies has continued to expand, highlighting the partnership’s distinctive dual-track nature.
Why Political Optics Look Strained
At the political level, India–U.S. ties in 2025 have appeared unsettled. The postponement of the Quad Leaders’ Summit, coupled with opaque official communication, signalled discomfort in bilateral engagement. Trade tensions have been a key driver: India’s exports to the U.S. declined sharply, while Washington imposed tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
Compounding this were perceptions in New Delhi of a U.S. recalibration towards a “G-2” style understanding with China, alongside warming U.S. ties with Pakistan. Islamabad’s strategic offerings — including port access and critical mineral supplies — illustrate Washington’s balance-of-interest pragmatism, where economic and geopolitical considerations intersect.
Institutional Cooperation Continues Unabated
In contrast to political caution, institutional engagement accelerated through 2025. The July Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington launched initiatives across maritime security, counterterrorism, economic resilience, critical technologies, and humanitarian assistance. This momentum was reinforced by the Quad Counterterrorism Working Group’s third meeting in December 2025, underlining the grouping’s operational relevance beyond leader-level summits.
The visits of India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and the Indian Navy Chief to the U.S. must be viewed through this prism of steady institutional dialogue.
Defence as the Backbone of the Partnership
Defence cooperation has emerged as the most resilient pillar of India–U.S. relations. Since the 2008 civil nuclear agreement, strategic trust has deepened through a web of defence and technology arrangements. The signing of a new 10-year Defence Framework Agreement in 2025 marked a significant milestone, aimed at enhancing coordination, information-sharing, and technological collaboration in support of Indo-Pacific stability.
Regular joint military exercises such as Yudh Abhyas, Tiger Claw, and Malabar have further strengthened interoperability and operational trust between the armed forces.
Agreements That Oil the Strategic Engine
Over the past decade, bilateral defence cooperation has been institutionalised through several foundational agreements:
- LEMOA (2016) for logistical support
- COMCASA (2018) for secure communications
- BECA (2020) for geospatial intelligence sharing
- INDUS-X (2023) to accelerate defence innovation
- Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (2023)
- Security of Supply Arrangement (2024)
In October 2025, a landmark 10-year defence framework was signed by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, reinforcing defence as the core stabiliser of bilateral ties.
Technology and Space Cooperation Add Depth
Beyond defence, technological collaboration has added strategic depth. In November 2025, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited signed a billion-dollar deal with General Electric for fighter jet engines. Meanwhile, the joint NASA–ISRO NISAR satellite, launched in July 2025, showcased cooperation in disaster resilience, agriculture, and infrastructure planning.
Quad and Regional Infrastructure Initiatives
Institutional collaboration has also expanded into regional infrastructure. The inaugural Quad Ports of the Future Conference, held during India Maritime Week in Mumbai in November 2025, brought together delegates from 24 Indo-Pacific partners. The focus on resilient, secure ports highlighted quality infrastructure as a strategic dimension of Quad cooperation, linking connectivity with regional stability.
The Dual-Track Nature of India–US Relations
The India–U.S. relationship increasingly operates on two parallel tracks. Political leaders navigate shifting strategic interests and domestic pressures, while bureaucratic and institutional frameworks quietly sustain cooperation. Despite challenges such as regulatory differences and technology interoperability concerns, shared regional interests continue to drive engagement.
Analysts caution that political momentum may remain uneven even if trade disputes ease. Yet, the durability of institutional ties — especially in defence, technology, and regional governance — remains the partnership’s greatest strength.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As both countries look ahead, investing in deeper institutional understanding beyond defence will be crucial. Learning each other’s systems, processes, and constraints can help buffer relations during political downturns. Expanding cooperation into newer sectors will further embed trust and strategic resilience.
The India–U.S. partnership’s future will depend less on summit optics and more on the quiet continuity of institutions that have, so far, kept the relationship strategically relevant amid geopolitical flux.
What to Note for Prelims?
- Quad grouping and its working mechanisms
- India–US foundational defence agreements
- INDUS-X and iCET initiatives
- NISAR satellite mission
What to Note for Mains?
- Dual-track nature of India–US relations
- Role of institutional cooperation amid political tensions
- Defence and technology as stabilising pillars of bilateral ties
- Implications of Indo-Pacific strategy and Quad cooperation
