In Washington, on December 11 (NationPress), India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, convened with US Senator Brian Schatz, who serves as the Deputy Secretary of the Senate Democratic Conference and is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The discussion centered on enhancing collaboration between the two nations in energy, technology, and innovation.

Kwatra expressed, "It was a pleasure to meet Senator Brian Schatz. We exchanged insights on our ongoing bilateral defense cooperation and explored deeper India-US ties in energy, technology, and innovation. We also discussed significant regional developments."

Moreover, Kwatra had a conversation with US Representative Dina Titus, focusing on aspects of collaboration such as technology, tourism, and trade. He commented, "I valued my discussion with Representative Dina Titus, where we reviewed various elements of our partnership including trade, technology, and tourism. I appreciate her unwavering support for strengthening ties between our nations."

On the same day, US Deputy Trade Representative Rick Switzer, who was visiting India for high-level talks with senior officials, met with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Their discussions encompassed the broad scope of the India-US economic and technology partnership and the current trade negotiations, as noted by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Ministry stated, "Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with Rick Switzer, and they discussed the robust India–US economic and technological collaboration, ongoing trade negotiations, and avenues to enhance bilateral trade and resilient supply chains."

The visit from the US delegation, led by the newly appointed Switzer and chief negotiator for the India trade agreement, Brendan Lynch, has rekindled optimism regarding the finalization of the India-US trade deal.

On December 9, India and the US engaged in Foreign Office Consultations, addressing vital bilateral matters such as trade and investment, defense cooperation, the TRUST initiative, energy collaboration including civil nuclear cooperation, technology, critical minerals, and reliable supply chains, as per a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.

During this meeting, co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and US Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker, both parties deliberated on regional and global developments of mutual interest, reaffirming their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The Ministry also announced, "Both sides acknowledged the steady progress made through existing dialogue mechanisms and committed to accelerating the implementation of 'Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce, and Technology (COMPACT) for the 21st Century' to foster transformative cooperation across key areas of the partnership."