Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and US Under Secretary of State Allison M. Hooker held a phone call on Tuesday, 25 August to advance discussions on the India-US Indian Ocean Strategic Venture (IOSV), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed. The conversation focused on deepening bilateral cooperation across the Indian Ocean Region, covering maritime security, strategic infrastructure, and connectivity.

What Was Discussed

According to the MEA, both sides explored 'opportunities for practical cooperation and complementarity in the Indian Ocean Region, including maritime security, strategic infrastructure and connectivity, in line with the priorities of partner countries.' The call marks a substantive follow-up to the IOSV's formal launch earlier this year.

Background: What Is the IOSV

The Indian Ocean Strategic Venture was jointly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in Washington on 13 February 2025. Described as a new bilateral, whole-of-government forum, the IOSV is designed to advance coordinated investments in economic connectivity and commerce across the Indian Ocean. The United States-India Joint Leaders' Statement from that occasion noted that 'the leaders committed to deepen bilateral dialogue and cooperation across the vast Indian Ocean region.'

Pentagon's Position on India's Strategic Role

This call comes amid a broader US reaffirmation of India's centrality to its Indo-Pacific strategy. Earlier this month, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby pushed back against suggestions that renaming INDOPACOM back to PACOM signals reduced US attention to India or the Indian Ocean. Colby clarified that the change reflects Washington's military focus on the Western Pacific and the first island chain — not a downgrading of India's strategic importance.

'This is not in any way a sort of denigration of the importance of the Indian Ocean area or of India itself,' Colby said at an on-the-record virtual briefing organised by the State Department's Asia Pacific Media Hub. He cited his March visit to India and visits by other senior US administration officials as evidence of sustained engagement.

US Views India as a 'Critical Power'

Colby described India as a 'critical power' and called the bilateral relationship one with 'the potential for a natural partnership, even though the two countries would not always agree.' He added: 'We really see India as a vital relationship where there's a natural partnership.' The MEA's statement also noted that 'the US appreciates India's role as a developmental, humanitarian assistance and net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region.'

What Comes Next

With the IOSV framework now entering its implementation phase, the Misri-Hooker call suggests both governments are moving from launch-stage commitments to operational planning. The Indian Ocean — spanning critical shipping lanes and home to several strategically significant smaller nations — is increasingly a focal point of great-power competition, making the IOSV's practical outcomes closely watched by regional partners and rivals alike.