UNITED STATES BACKS INDIA AS ESSENTIAL INDO-PACIFIC PARTNER

Elbridge Colby on Tuesday underscored that the United States views India not merely as a key partner but as an essential one in maintaining a favourable balance of power in Asia, describing the Indo-US partnership as rooted in “Flexible Realism” and guided by practical, interest-based cooperation.

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US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby

Speaking at a special session in New Delhi, Colby said Washington’s approach to ties with India is shaped by geopolitical realities and incentives rather than “gauzy aspirations or detached idealism”. He stressed that both nations share a fundamental belief that the future of Asia should be determined by sovereign countries capable of charting their own course.

Highlighting the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific, Colby noted that the region has become the central theatre of global politics, economics and security. He said the ongoing shift in global power makes it imperative for capable nations to work together, as no single country can ensure stability in such a vast and diverse region. In this context, he described India’s role as “indispensable”.