Military cooperation between the United States and India continues to hold firm, despite mounting political and economic tensions between the two countries.
Analysts said a recent joint military exercise, which concluded this weekend, reflects the strength of bilateral defense relations even as trade frictions grow.
During a panel discussion in Sydney on Wednesday, Lisa Curtis, director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), highlighted the ongoing partnership.
She stated that there is much continuity in security matters and pointed to joint exercises with Japan and the Philippines as examples of strong security ties with the US. Curtis added that these efforts demonstrate that beneath the surface, traditional US security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific is progressing steadily. Drawing on her over two decades of experience in the US government, she emphasised the significance of consistent military engagement.
Lavina Lee, director of foreign policy and defense at the United States Studies Centre, which hosted the event, shared similar views, stating that the US and India truly need each other. She also pointed out the growing trust deficit between the two countries, while noting that the gap between China and India is much wider and unlikely to be bridged in the long term.
Lee also urged the Quad group—comprising the US, India, Japan, and Australia—to “quite seriously” explore closer defense collaboration. “In the many war games that I’ve participated in the last few years, China always wins,” she observed. She attributed this to China’s willingness to escalate conflicts and the fact that US allies often run out of munitions and other critical assets during prolonged engagements.
Earlier in the day, former US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell called on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to advocate for reviving the Quad during his upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump.
Lee also suggested that the Quad strengthen defense cooperation by building collective military-industrial capacity, resilient supply chains, operational coordination, and defense planning consultations. She stated that Japan is the closest to NATO allies in terms of adopting a mindset focused on preparing for war, adding that such preparations, rather than signaling, form the core of deterrence moving forward.