Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 8 NATIONAL AFFAIRS February 20, 2026 T he US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor hosted a get-together at his residence in New Delhi for top officials in the Indian government as well as the business and diplomatic community. In a post on X, he enthused about the future growth in bilateral relations. “Hosted a warm reception at home tonight with dear friends from India, the diplomatic community, business leaders and partners from the US. Amid our nations’ re- newed trade framework and deepening strategic ties, the real magic happens in these personal moments—where trust, ideas, and shared futures spark. A special thank you to @DrSJaishankar @PiyushGoyal and over 75 Ambassadors who attended. Here’s to the boundless potential between India & America!” -ANI US Ambassador Hosts Top Officials; Sees Unlimited Potential In US-India Relations “Strong, Independent India, An Important Ally In Countering China’s Influence In Indo-Pacific”: US Official Paul Kapur U S Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, Paul Kapur, has called India an important ally in America’s moves against China and underlined that a strong India not only keeps China out of the Indo-Pacific region but also prevents it or any single hegemon from taking over or imposing coercive leverage on the region. He made the remarks onWednesday, February 12, 2026, while testifying to the subcommittee on South and Central Asia’s hearing to examine America’s foreign policy across South-Central Asia. When asked his assessment of how India is going to support the American efforts across the Indo-Pacific region to counter an increasingly aggressive China, Kapur said that a strong India not only keeps China out but also prevents any single hegemon from taking over the region. He said, “An India that can be independent and stand up for itself and preserve its freedom of action works to our strategic advantage and promotes our strategic in- terests because what we’re trying to do fundamentally is not to keep China out of the region but to prevent China or any single hegemon from taking over or imposing coercive leverage on the region. So an India that is able to be independent, stand up for itself, and preserve its free- dom of action takes a huge swath of the Indo-Pacific off of China’s plate and almost by definition prevents it from becoming the dominant power in the region.” Kapur further emphasised the need for an indepen- dent India, especially in the spheres of economy and military, so as to prevent dependence on China. He said, “I think at this point the goal is to ensure that India can stand up for itself, be independent, and of course it is, but the more wherewithal that it has eco- nomically, militarily in terms of its defence, in terms of its technology, the better it is able to maintain its indepen- dence from China.” He further noted, “An independent, strong, prosper- ous India takes a big swath of the Indo-Pacific away from China and that is actually a strategic win for us.” However, Ranking Member from California, Represen- tative Kamlager-Dove, heavily criticized the diplomatic moves under Trump 2.0. She said, “Trump has sabotaged U.S. regional interests and decimated our diplomatic toolbox, putting us on the back foot as major changes swept across South and Cen- tral Asia. In April, Trump announced tariffs on partners across South and Central Asia, an unexpected economic shock on countries already facing debt vulnerability to the PRC. 50% tariffs on India–one of the highest rates in the world–tore a needless rupture in bilateral ties that sacrificed decades of painstaking trust-building between our two countries. Dragging on negotiations for over a year cost us the timely convening of the annual Quad leaders’ summit and weakened our posture in the Indo- Pacific.” Kapur noted that India and the United States continue to maintain consistent, robust cooperation, which has helped resolve issues such as trade relations. He said, “India, with its size, location, and commit- ment to a free and open region, anchors South Asia and, more broadly, the western half of the Indo-Pacific. The United States and India maintain high-level diplomatic touchpoints such as the 2+2 Ministerial and cooperate closely in the defence technology and energy sectors, bi- laterally and also through the Quad. Cooperation in these areas has remained robust, even as we resolved long- standing issues in our trade relationship, as evidenced by the renewed 10-year U.S-India defence framework agree- ment, the TRUST initiative, and Indian purchases of U.S. products ranging from drones to liquefied natural gas.” “Following the trade framework President Trump reached last week with Prime Minister Modi, we can now focus on other shared priorities: lowering barriers to trade with one of the largest economies in the world and opening the way to even more fulsome cooperation. This will enhance our mutual prosperity and help India to defend its sovereignty both on land and in its maritime near abroad,” the US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia said. The India-US Interim Agreement, announced last week, is intended as a framework for a reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade pact between the two countries. The agreement will involve the elimination or reduc- tion of tariffs on US industrial goods and a wide range of food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and ad- ditional products. In return, the United States will apply a reciprocal tariff of 18 per cent on selected Indian goods, including tex- tiles, apparel, leather, footwear, plastics, rubber, organic chemicals, home decor, artisanal products, and certain machinery. Upon full implementation, US tariffs on items such as generic pharmaceuticals, gems and diamonds, and aircraft parts will be removed. -ANI PHOTO:COURTESY ANI PHOTOS:X.COM/USANDINDIA S. Paul Kapur US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor hosts top Indian officials, the diplomatic corps, and business representatives at his residence in New Delhi February 9, 2026.