New Delhi, Aug 14 (NationPress) Highlighting the significance of India-US defence relations as a crucial component of their bilateral ties, India announced on Thursday that a US defence policy team is expected to arrive in New Delhi soon. This visit is part of ongoing efforts to enhance their comprehensive global strategic partnership.

As per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the defence collaboration between the two nations has expanded across all sectors, with procurement activities proceeding according to established protocols.

During a routine media briefing on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal mentioned that the joint military drill, 'Yudh Abhyas', is anticipated to occur later this month.

"The India-US defence partnership, founded on essential defence agreements, constitutes a vital pillar of our bilateral relationship. This strong cooperation has evolved across all domains. We are expecting the US defence policy team to be in Delhi in mid-August. The 21st edition of the joint military exercise, Yudh Abhyas, is also set to take place later this month in Alaska. Both countries remain engaged in organizing the 2+2 Intersessional meeting at the working level by the end of this month," stated Jaiswal.

Reinforcing that the India-US partnership has survived several transitions and challenges, the MEA spokesperson affirmed that the two nations share a comprehensive global strategic partnership rooted in mutual interests, democratic values, and strong people-to-people connections. He expressed optimism that the relationship will continue to evolve based on mutual respect and shared objectives.

"India and the United States maintain a comprehensive global strategic partnership based on shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has successfully navigated various transitions and challenges, as previously mentioned. We remain committed to the substantive agenda that both countries have agreed upon, and we hope that the relationship will continue to advance based on mutual respect and shared interests," he added.

This announcement follows US President Donald Trump's recent declaration of an additional 25 percent tariff increase, primarily due to India’s ongoing imports of Russian crude oil. This new tariff is on top of a previous 25 percent tariff that was implemented on July 20.

In response to the US action, the MEA criticized the decision as "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable," emphasizing that India's energy requirements and strategic autonomy should be acknowledged.