Admiral Samuel J Paparo, Commander of the US Pacific Command, arrived in India on Saturday for a six-day official visit aimed at further strengthening the India-US Major Defence Partnership and expanding military-to-military cooperation.
Paparo will remain in India from October 3 to 8 and is scheduled to meet senior officials from the Ministry of Defence as well as leadership of the Indian Armed Forces.
Focus on Technology and Regional Security
During the visit, discussions are expected to cover shared security priorities across the Indo-Pacific region. Key areas on the agenda include digital transformation, emerging critical technologies and regional strategic stability.
The two sides are also focusing on defence energy resilience as well as the challenges associated with an increasingly competitive global technology environment.
“From emerging technology to maritime security, the United States and India are building a defence partnership equipped to meet the challenges of the future,” the US Embassy said in a statement on Saturday.
Maritime Security Remains Key Area
The visit comes as India and the US continue to expand military cooperation through joint exercises, intelligence sharing and technological co-development aimed at safeguarding sea lines of communication.
India's Ministry of Defence has also highlighted maritime security, information sharing, operational interoperability and emerging technologies as important areas of India-US defence cooperation.
Paparo's visit also comes against the backdrop of India's continued focus on maritime security and future military capabilities in the Indian Ocean region. The Indian Navy's recent commanders' conference discussed operational preparedness, maritime security and technology-driven capability development.
The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for Indian and US defence officials to discuss evolving security challenges and ways to further strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.