US Admiral Samuel Paparo arrives in India to shore up defence ties amid trade friction

The commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, has arrived in India for a six-day visit aimed at deepening military ties at a time when the broader diplomatic and trade relationship is facing visible friction.

The visit, running from 3 to 8 October, is Paparo’s second trip to India this year. According to the US Embassy in India, his agenda covers several shared security priorities, including digital transformation, regional strategic stability, and what the embassy described as "defence energy resilience" and "emerging technologies".

Navigating trade friction and Russian oil

Behind the diplomatic language lies a more complex picture. While the military relationship between Washington and New Delhi has grown closer, the wider political relationship has been tested by trade disputes, including tariffs reintroduced under Donald Trump, a stalled bilateral trade deal, and US frustration over India's continued purchases of Russian oil.

Yet the US military is pushing ahead. In an update on the 2026 National Defense Strategy sent to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Washington listed India under its "burden-sharing" initiatives—a term for encouraging allies and partners to take on more regional security responsibilities. The document noted that the two nations recently signed a 10-year bilateral defence framework alongside a separate agreement to boost underwater cooperation.

Testifying before US lawmakers earlier this year, Paparo described the security relationship with India as experiencing "transformative growth", pointing to increasingly complex military exercises, defence sales, and strategic dialogue. He specifically highlighted India’s planned purchase of US MQ-9B armed drones as a key step forward.

Countering China's regional influence

Paparo has also praised New Delhi's regional role, calling India a "source of stability within South Asia" and pointing to its investments in Sri Lanka and Mauritius as helping to keep critical infrastructure free from "adversarial influences"—a clear reference to China.

Countering Beijing's influence remains the primary driver of the security partnership. Paparo has previously warned that China's actions, alongside its growing alignment with Russia and North Korea, present a complex threat to regional stability. However, the wider political arena is shifting; observers note that the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue—the "Quad" alliance of the US, India, Japan, and Australia—has seen its momentum slow recently.

During his last trip to India, Paparo travelled to New Delhi, Chandimandir, and Bengaluru, where he met with India’s Chief of Defence Staff and the Navy chief to discuss security along the country's northern and western borders.