The parallel track that keeps U.S.-India ties going

In 2025, despite political strains and the postponement of the much-anticipated Quad Leaders’ Summit hosted by India, the underlying machinery of India-United States cooperation remains vigorous and steadily advancing. While political engagement appears low, notably amid U.S. trade sanctions on India and its warming ties with Pakistan, the institutional collaboration between the two democracies continues to expand, particularly in defence and technology cooperation. The visits of India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s and the Indian Navy Chief to the U.S. must be seen in this framework.

The Quad Leaders’ Summit, which New Delhi was supposed to host, has been delayed amid opaque communication from officials, reflecting current bilateral tensions that have been marked by challenges such as worsening trade relations. The U.S. tariff regime levied on Indian goods and New Delhi’s recalibration of its diplomatic posture amid perceptions of a “G-2” style rapprochement between the U.S. and China have some underlying factors. India’s exports to the U.S., which dropped sharply in 2025, are a stark indicator of these tensions.

Economic frictions persist, especially with U.S. tariffs on India’s purchase of Russian crude oil, while China and Pakistan enjoy lower tariffs and even strengthened relations with the U.S. In return, Islamabad’s offering, highlighted by port access to the U.S. and critical minerals shipments to American firms, is an economic decision with geopolitical imperatives. Washington’s balance-of-interest pragmatism manifests itself in signals from U.S. officials that relations with New Delhi remain vital despite transactional pressures.

Continuing institutional cooperation

In contrast to strained political signals, institutional engagement has accelerated. The July 2025 Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington unveiled new initiatives that spanned maritime security, transnational threats, economic cooperation, critical technologies and humanitarian efforts. On similar lines, Quad’s Counterterrorism Working group also held its third meeting in December 2025, all demonstrating the Quad’s continued operational relevance beyond high-level political optics.

Defence cooperation forms the backbone of this resilience. Since the 2008 India-U.S. civil nuclear deal, defence and technology agreements have steadily deepened. The landmark signing of a decade-long Defence Framework Agreement in 2025 marks a new chapter, enhancing joint coordination, information sharing and technological collaboration that is designed to buttress Indo-Pacific regional stability. This is exemplified through regular bilateral military exercises, such as Yudh Abhyas (‘War Practice’), Tiger Claw and Malabar, which promote interoperability and trust among forces.

Oiled by defence and technology agreements

Since the political upheaval brought by the India-U.S. nuclear deal, bilateral ties have been predominantly driven by defence and technology agreements. Over the years, the two countries have signed various agreements, including the 2023 India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) and foundational defence agreements such as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum Of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA, 2018) and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA, 2020) and the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (2023) to provide and promote logistical support, cooperation and information sharing between the two militaries. India’s Ministry of Defence and the U.S. Department of Defence also signed the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) in 2024. Despite political challenges, defence cooperation remains strong.

In October 2025, a significant 10-year defence framework agreement was signed by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. This long-awaited pact aims to enhance coordination, information sharing and technological collaboration to promote regional stability and deterrence.

Building on years of growing strategic convergence, the agreement reinforces defence as a core pillar of India-U.S. relations. Further bolstering defence ties, Indian aerospace giant, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited signed a billion-dollar deal, in November 2025, with the U.S.’s General Electric for fighter jet engines. Similarly the joint U.S.-India NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, launched in July 2025 for disaster resilience, agriculture and infrastructure planning requirements adds to the technological jointmanship. At the infrastructural and regional levels, the inaugural Quad Ports of the Future Conference, held around India Maritime Week in Mumbai in early November 2025, brought together delegates from 24 Indo-Pacific partners, focusing on developing resilient and secure ports that leverage shared expertise and investments. Co-organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and the Ministry of External Affairs, it emphasised that quality infrastructure development is a crucial dimension of Quad cooperation, underlining the broader regional connectivity.

Build deeper institutional understanding

Despite political challenges, this enduring institutional engagement reveals the India-U.S. relationship’s dual-track dynamic. While political leaders manage strategic diplomacy with and national interests, the bureaucratic and institutional frameworks continue to sustain and evolve core collaborations. Despite institutional challenges such as domestic regulatory frameworks and concerns about technology interoperability, mutual regional interests drive this continuity.

Such institutional continuity may well be the relationship’s greatest strength, fostering trust while shielding essential cooperation from political volatility. However, analysts have cautioned that bilateral ties may struggle to regain full momentum, even if trade disputes are resolved.

Looking ahead to 2026, both nations must invest in a deeper institutional understanding — defence and beyond. Learning about structures and institutions, appreciating the processes, and developing resilient relationships with other countries require continuous efforts. Expanding cooperation into broader sectors can build the mutual trust essential during political lows. The resilience of the India-U.S. partnership will depend heavily on these parallel institutional tracks, which have so far, quietly but effectively, maintained the alliance’s robustness and strategic relevance in an ever-evolving geopolitical landscape. While political summits may pause, institutions keep the dialogue alive, working together on mutual areas, and having long-term partnerships that can survive the short and medium-term headwinds.

Pooja Bhatt is Associate Professor at the O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonepat, Haryana

Published – January 06, 2026 12:08 am IST