India and the United States are planning a greater strategic cooperation in the Indian Ocean to build crucial infrastructure, including ports and telecommunications networks, in regional nations namely Sri Lanka, Maldives and Mauritius.
Because sometimes the costs don’t make sense, “We want to provide alternatives, and we can’t always compete. Our private sector cannot offer the same prices that a government-backed company can offer, and so that’s when we say, how can the US and India work together on this?” the official said.
The partnership is expected to take place under the Indian Ocean Strategic Venture (IOSV initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump during their bilateral summit in February 2025. “India is great at building ports. We have the money to help build those ports. How can we get in there and pool our resources in these key countries and advance that? So we’re looking at ports. We’re looking at maritime security, and then digital infrastructure. We’re looking at 6G. What is the next generation of standards going to look like, and how can the U.S. and India be the leaders and partner in that?
So those are really the key themes,” said a senior State Department official.
