US state department official visits India to push tech, trade agenda
NEW DELHI: United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker will visit New Delhi and Bengaluru from December 7 to 11. This will be her first official visit to India since taking office earlier this year. Thevisitis expected to sharpen the strategic focus of the US-India partnership at a time when both sides are navigating economic friction, geopoliticalvolatilityand rapid technological shifts. According to the US Embassy, Hooker willprioritiseadvancing the US-India strategic partnership, deepening economic and commercial ties, expanding American exports, and accelerating collaboration in emerging technologies, particularly artificialintelligenceand space exploration. Her visit comes amid renewed efforts in Washington and New Delhi tostabilizeties after weeks of heightened tensions over the Trump administrations 50% tariff on Indian goods and Indias continued purchase of Russian energy. Hooker has beenclosely involvedin India engagement in recent months. In September, she met Indianambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra, as both sides worked to ease friction over trade and energy issues. Economic cooperation has nevertheless continued toexpandbetween the two countries. In November, Indian public-sector oil companies signed a one-year agreement with US energy majors to import 2.2 milliontonnesof LPG,roughly 10%of Indias annual LPG imports.Then,India and the USfinalizeda $946 million sustainment package for the Indian Navys fleet of 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, strengtheningdefenceindustrial ties. During her stay in New Delhi, Hooker will meether counterpart ForeignSecretaryVikram Misri, and othersenior Indian officials to discuss regional security, economiccooperationand shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific.During the Foreign Office Consultations with Vikram Misri,both sides are expected to address issues still slowing the bilateral partnership,from trade barriersandsupply-chain coordination todefencepartnership. In Bengaluru, she will visit the Indian Space ResearchOrganisation(ISRO) and meet leaders from Indias space,energyand technology sectors. The discussions will focus on expanding joint research, commercialcollaborationand interoperability in next-generation technologiesareas increasingly framing the future of the partnership. Meanwhile, India and the US unequivocally condemned terrorism in all forms, including cross-border terrorism, following the 21st India-US Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorismon December 6,and the 7th Designations Dialogue held on December 3. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation across the UN, Quad andThe Financial Action Task Force,frameworks.
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