As India and US seek to reset defence ties, Iran war threatens to be the wild card

A visit by a top American official to India this week has raised expectations that bilateral defence ties are getting “back on track” amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.But analysts warn that both sides are unlikely to reach full agreement on New Delhi’s energy and security concerns, while the US-Israeli war against Iran could unsettle the relationship.Speaking in New Delhi on Wednesday, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby said India would play a central role in shaping a favourable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. India’s size, geography, and growing military and economic strength make its balancing role essential, according to Colby, describing Delhi as a major force in global affairs.Colby met Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday on the sidelines of a meeting of the India-us-defence-policy-group" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="67121" data-entity-type="organization">India-US Defence Policy Group, India’s External Affairs Ministry said.“They exchanged views on advancing bilateral defence cooperation, regional security, and further strengthening the strategic partnership,” the ministry’s spokesman Randhir Jaiswal wrote on social media.According to a statement from Washington, Colby’s visit was “to help advance the critical India-US relationship” and on “implementing the Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership”.