“The greatest democracies value principles as a guiding light for world peace”: US envoy Garcetti at the Defence News Conclave

New Delhi (India), July 14: US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti described India-US relations as deep and comprehensive and said that the two largest democracies, India and the US, value principles as a guide for peace in the world.

India sees its future in the United States and the US sees its future in India, the US Ambassador to India said at the US-India Defence News Conclave in the capital, stressing the central role of trade, technology, people and security in this important partnership.

The US envoy was speaking at the two-day “US-India Defence News Conclave: Stories of US-India Defence and Security Partnership” in the capital, a press release from the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) said on Saturday.

He delivered the keynote address at the final conference of the US-India Defense News project series titled “Dialogues on Deliverables to Deliveries,” which concluded with insightful discussions and a forward-looking agenda for the US-India defense partnership.

The U.S. Mission in India, in partnership with CUTS International and in collaboration with the United Service Institution of India (USI) and USISPF, organized this meeting in Delhi.

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Garcetti noted that India-US relations are deep and broad and reiterated that Americans’ enthusiasm for India has not diminished in the slightest.

In his address to the event, Garcetti said: “Our relationship is not a bet, but a real, tried and tested commitment and friendship. It is not about winning or losing, nor is it a zero-sum game. It is about trusting each other without expecting anything in return.”

Ambassador Garcetti stressed that both countries value principles as a guiding light for world peace. He added that New Delhi and Washington are committed to going further in the areas of technology, defense, startups, engineering and space.

“By standing together with our friends, we can ensure that law prevails over might. When the two largest democracies come together, it shows how much we value principles as a guiding light for peace in the world,” Garcetti stressed.

“We (the United States) are with you (India) for the long haul, and our leaders have promised to go further in technology, defense, startups, engineering and space. We want India to be a place where we come to fix our ships, find good jobs and learn about each other’s systems and training,” he added.

This event was the culmination of a series of sessions aimed at fostering meaningful discussions on the U.S.-India defense partnership. The goal was to bring together industry experts from both countries and create awareness among traditional and online media professionals across India about the growing partnership in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

The event began with a welcome and opening session, followed by the first session on “Celebrating India-US Defense Relations: The Most Significant Partnership of the 21st Century,” which discussed the historical evolution of the strategic relationship, current initiatives and future growth areas.

Subsequent sessions included “Above & Beyond: Bilateral Partnership in Space and the Indo-Pacific,” which focused on maritime security, space cooperation and ocean diplomacy, and “CEOs of the Bilateral Partnership: Designing, Developing and Manufacturing Together,” which focused on building a modern defense industrial ecosystem and enhancing joint R&D and manufacturing capabilities.

The second day of the conclave began with a speech by the Defense Attaché of the US Embassy in India, Rear Admiral Michael Baker.

“The best way to prevent war is to have the capability and capacity, the interoperability, the will and the political determination to win – and India and the United States have that,” he said.

Vishesh Negi, Secretary of State for International Cooperation in the Ministry of Defence, said that India and the US are natural partners in the 21st century and beyond and that the two countries enjoy intensive military-to-military cooperation through joint exercises.

“India and the US are natural partners in the 21st century and beyond. This partnership has a strong focus on defense and security while promoting regional stability and ensuring shared prosperity for India and the US. What we have now is a very robust military cooperation in joint exercises. The main reasons for this are the use of similar technologies and interest in the Indo-Pacific region,” Negi said.

The panel “Fourth Pillar of Democracy: Informed Views on the US-India Defense Relationship,” featuring prominent journalists from major national media outlets covering the defense sector, highlighted the role of the media in shaping public perceptions, combating misinformation, and spreading success stories of bilateral defense cooperation.

The closing session, “The Way Forward: India and the United States for Global Good,” outlined the partnership’s next steps, including overcoming challenges, promoting joint manufacturing and technology cooperation, and working in multilateral frameworks such as the Quad.

In her closing remarks, Gloria Berbena, Counsellor for Public Diplomacy at the US Embassy in India, stressed the need for more such meetings.

She said her goal was “clear and understandable” to the average Indian and American citizen, adding that given the difficult geopolitical realities of this century, an informed citizenry was critical.

“We have created this series of meetings to try to demystify aspects of our military and security relationship… recognizing that if what we are doing and trying to accomplish in this area is not clear and understandable to the average Indian and American citizen, as well as those who think and work in this sector every day, then we are not doing our job well. And ultimately, we are not serving our citizens and our democracies well. Our security partnership must be as transparent as possible and open to review and discussion,” Berbena said.

She added: “A big part of that is fostering a strong and professional journalistic understanding and providing easy access to reliable and objectively verifiable information. These are the pillars of every democratic nation and they underpin public trust and accountability. As our nations must navigate the rapidly changing and often challenging geopolitical realities of this century, the need for an informed citizenry has never been more important, and an informed citizenry depends on all of you.”

Each session was moderated by defense experts and featured distinguished panelists, ensuring comprehensive and insightful discussions on strengthening the U.S.-India defense and security partnership.

The event began on the first day with a welcome address by Major General BK Sharma (ret.), Director General, United Service Institution of India, followed by a speech by Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International. Both speakers emphasized the critical importance of the US-India partnership in the current geopolitical context.

Mehta said: “In the medium and long term, maintaining a strong, innovative and resilient defence industry will be of paramount importance to the security and prosperity of the current world order.”

“As we move through these complex and dynamic times, it is imperative for India to build its defense and civil industrial base. In this effort, the United States should recognize India as a strategic partner by granting it all the privileges it grants to its treaty partners,” Mehta added.

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