As India and US seek to reset defence ties, Iran war threatens to be the wild card
An Iranian vessel’s sinking in the Indian Ocean has triggered anger in India, while New Delhi is worried about the Strait of Hormuz blockade
But analysts warn that both sides are unlikely to reach full agreement on New Delhi’s energy and security concerns, while the US-Israeli war against Iran could unsettle the relationship.
Colby met Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday on the sidelines of a meeting of the India-US Defence Policy Group, India’s External Affairs Ministry said.
“They exchanged views on advancing bilateral defence cooperation, regional security, and further strengthening the strategic partnership,” the ministry’s spokesman Randhir Jaiswal wrote on social media.
According to a statement from Washington, Colby’s visit was “to help advance the critical India-US relationship” and on “implementing the Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership”.