New Delhi: The United States views India as central to maintaining a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday, outlining a roadmap for deeper defense and strategic ties amid changing global dynamics.Addressing an event at the Ananta Centre, US Under Secretary for Policy War Elbridge Colby said India’s role is indispensable for regional peace and stability, especially at a time of rising geopolitical tensions and concerns over China’s growing military assertiveness.He said, “The United States believes that India will play a central role in ensuring a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. In this context, a strong, self-confident India is not only good for the Indian people. It is also good for Americans.”Colby stressed that the India-US partnership is based on shared strategic interests, even if differences remain.He said, “First, the United States and India do not need to agree on everything to cooperate effectively. What matters is that our interests and objectives increasingly converge on the most basic issues.”He said, “Differences and even disputes are fully compatible with deep alignment and cooperation on strategic matters. The roots of our partnership run deeper than optics and are more durable than superficial cordiality; rather, they are deeply embedded in enduring strategic mutual self-interest.”Highlighting shared goals, Colby said both countries benefit from an Indo-Pacific where no single power dominates, along with open trade and national autonomy.On defense cooperation, he stressed the need to give priority to solid capabilities.“In this light, one of the most encouraging developments in recent years has been the steady expansion of defense cooperation between the United States and India”.Citing US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Colby said the bilateral defense relationship has never been stronger, with growing momentum in industrial and technology cooperation. He also mentioned the ‘Major Defense Partnership’ framework finalized in October.He said, “Our goals must be practical: ensuring that our forces can work together effectively when our interests align, and in any case seeing to it that India has the capabilities necessary to defend its sovereignty and contribute to a favorable regional balance of power.”He said the US is committed to enhancing cooperation in areas such as long-range precision strikes, flexible logistics, maritime domain awareness, anti-submarine warfare and advanced technologies.Colby also underlined the importance of co-production and co-development of defense equipment while acknowledging challenges including regulatory barriers and procurement differences.“But they are not invincible and we must overcome them,” he said.He said while Washington aims to boost military sales to India, it also supports New Delhi’s push for a stronger domestic defense industry.“A strong domestic industrial base enhances sovereignty and resilience. The United States supports that objective. And India is on its way,” he said.“India already has an impressive defense industrial base and India’s leadership in cutting-edge technologies helps further broaden our defense cooperation.”Colby reiterated that differences between the two countries are natural and should not hinder cooperation.“Strong partnerships benefit from honesty, respect and strategic clarity. The truth is that the United States and India will not agree on every issue.”“Indeed, in exactly the same spirit, we can say without embarrassment that India and the US have not always been partners or even friends. Our histories and strategic cultures are different, and our interests will certainly diverge at times,” he said.