US Vice President JD Vance Outlines Three Pillars of India-US Collaboration in Jaipur
US Vice President JD Vance, during his address in Jaipur on Monday, outlined three key pillars for the future of India-US collaboration: protecting nations, building great things, and innovating cutting-edge technologies. Emphasizing the importance of mutual cooperation, Vance highlighted these areas as central to strengthening ties between the two nations in the years to come.
“I want to talk about a few areas of collaboration today, how India and the US can work together,” said Vance, introducing the three strategic pillars.
The Vice President focused first on defense cooperation, describing the current relationship between India and the US as one of the closest in the world. “On defense, our countries already enjoy a close relationship, one of the closest relationships in the world. America conducts more military exercises with India than with any other nation,” he said. Vance went on to mention the US-India COMPACT, announced by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi in February, which lays the foundation for deeper defense collaboration. The partnership will include co-production of military equipment, such as javelins and striker combat vehicles, aimed at deterring foreign aggression.
“We seek peace, and we believe the best path to peace is through mutual strength,” he added. He also spoke about the launch of the Joint Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance, a collaboration aimed at developing advanced maritime systems. This initiative is part of the broader goal to align the interests of both countries in a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
Vance emphasized that both nations must remain vigilant in ensuring the region stays secure from hostile forces. He also highlighted that the growing US-India defense relations have led to India’s designation as a major defense partner, a status shared only with the UAE.
The Vice President also discussed energy cooperation, a key aspect of the partnership. “Both the US and India want to build. That requires increased energy production and consumption,” Vance stated. He criticized past US administrations for restricting energy investments and emphasized that the current administration recognizes the importance of affordable, reliable energy for economic independence.
“America is blessed with vast natural resources, and we want to sell energy to our friends like India,” he said. Vance expressed confidence that increased US energy exports to India would lead to lower energy costs, which would, in turn, promote manufacturing, growth, and development in India. Additionally, he proposed exploring India’s offshore natural gas reserves and critical mineral resources in partnership.
Vance also suggested that India consider reducing non-tariff barriers to improve American access to the Indian market, noting that such steps could help both countries beat unfair competition in international markets.
In terms of technological collaboration, Vance underscored the intersection of energy and AI as pivotal for both nations’ future ambitions. “There is no AI future without energy security and energy dominance,” he said. He predicted that technological collaborations between India and the US would extend well beyond defense and energy, leading to the development of data centers, pharmaceuticals, undersea cables, and other critical infrastructure.
“The technological collaboration between our countries is going to extend well beyond defense and energy,” Vance added. He expressed optimism about the opportunities for both countries in the fields of data infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and other sectors driven by mutual investment.
Concluding his speech with a focus on trade and economic growth, Vance said, “Americans are excited about further access to Indian markets, and we want to give our people more access to this country. Indians, too, will thrive from greater commerce in the US. This is a win-win partnership for both nations and will continue to grow in the future.”
