US envoy Sergio Gor visits Western Command in signal of stronger India-US military ties | Take a look

US Ambassador Sergio Gor visited the Indian Army’s Western Command in Chandigarh as both nations expand military and technology cooperation under a new 10-year defence framework.

• US Ambassador visits Indian Army's Western Command in Chandigarh
• Visit highlights growing India-US defence partnership
• Meetings emphasize tech, maritime, and strategic cooperation

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United States Ambassador to India Sergio Gor visited the Western Command of the Indian Army in Chandigarh on January 16, signalling continued momentum in the expanding India-US defence partnership. The visit comes amid a series of high-level military engagements between the two countries under a newly formalised 10-year defence framework.

Posting on X after landing in Chandigarh, Gor wrote, “Just landed in Chandigarh. Looking forward to visiting the Western Command of the Indian Army.”

Gor’s outreach to the Indian Army follows his recent welcome of Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), during the latter’s India visit. On X, Gor said he was 'delighted' to host Paparo to expand the defence partnership and strengthen cooperation between the two nations.

The engagements reflect a broader push to institutionalise military collaboration across operational, technological and strategic domains.

From February 3 to 4, India and the United States held the 24th Joint Technical Group Plenary at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) headquarters in New Delhi. According to the Ministry of Defence, the meeting focused on advancing cooperation in defence science and technology.

The plenary was co-chaired by DRDO Director General (Production Coordination & Services Interaction) Dr Chandrika Kaushik and Michael Francis Dodd, Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies in the US Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research & Engineering. Both sides reviewed ongoing projects, addressed implementation challenges and examined proposals to strengthen collaboration in critical and emerging defence technologies.

These engagements align with the India-US Major Defence Partnership framework formalised in October 2025, when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a 10-year Defence Framework Agreement in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).

The agreement outlines a long-term roadmap for military collaboration, capacity building and joint projects across the Indo-Pacific. Singh described the signing as the beginning of a “new chapter” in bilateral defence ties, saying it would provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the relationship and signal growing strategic convergence.

Hegseth termed the framework 'ambitious,' calling it a significant step for both militaries and a reflection of long-term US commitment to shared security objectives.

India’s Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, concluded an official US visit in November aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation. During that visit, he met senior American civilian and military leaders, including the US Secretary of the Navy and INDOPACOM leadership.

Discussions covered maritime security, domain awareness, operational interoperability, protection of sea lines of communication and undersea infrastructure, as well as cooperation in humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, search and rescue, and counter-piracy.

Together, these developments indicate a steady expansion of India-US defence coordination, with growing emphasis on technology collaboration and Indo-Pacific security. Gor’s visit to the Western Command fits into that broader trajectory, underscoring closer engagement at multiple operational levels.