Washington, April 21: Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi held a meeting in Honolulu with General Ronald P. Clark, the Commanding General of the United States Army Pacific, along with senior officials. The discussions focused on strengthening defense cooperation between the two nations and promoting a shared vision for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Upon arriving at the US military base in Hawaii, General Dwivedi was honored with a ‘Guard of Honor’ at Fort Shafter and also conducted an aerial tour of Oahu Island.
The Indian Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) shared details of the visit. It stated, “During his current trip to the US Army Pacific, General Upendra Dwivedi was presented with a ‘Guard of Honor’ at Fort Shafter. He engaged in discussions with General Ronald P. Clark and other senior officials, emphasizing the importance of enhancing India-US defense cooperation and advancing a shared approach for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The COAS also conducted an aerial tour of Oahu Island, gaining insights into the training ecosystem and multi-domain operational readiness.”
Earlier this month, India and the US reaffirmed their strategic defense partnership during high-level talks between the chiefs of their air forces. The agenda primarily focused on mutual coordination, training, and regional resilience in the Indo-Pacific.
On April 8, US Air Force Chief of Staff General Kenneth Wilsbach hosted Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh for an official visit.
According to an official statement, Singh received a warm welcome at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and later met with Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and Wilsbach at the Pentagon.
During the discussions, US Air Force senior officials highlighted the significance of their defense partnership with India, describing it as crucial for ensuring “a free, open, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.”
Wilsbach praised India’s leadership and participation in multilateral exercises with like-minded partners, emphasizing that expanding such cooperation is key to enhancing regional resilience.
He stated, “It was an honor to host Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh for this important counterpart visit. At the Pentagon, we discussed modernization efforts, future training opportunities, and our shared commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
The talks also included discussions on India’s acquisition of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian aircraft, with the US Air Force reaffirming its commitment to ensure that the Indian armed forces can “effectively utilize” the platform post-delivery.
Wilsbach underscored the US Air Force’s readiness to support the Indian Air Force’s modernization efforts and pointed out the mutual benefits of defense industrial cooperation.
Following the Pentagon meetings, staff-level discussions took place, covering various operational areas such as the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program, the Air National Guard’s Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, and full-spectrum operations of the MQ-9.
Air Chief Marshal Singh remarked that such engagements are vital for advancing joint capabilities between the two air forces. He stated, “Opportunities like these are crucial for enhancing our joint interoperability and strengthening the strategic partnership between our air forces.”
Air Chief Marshal Singh also visited Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, where he was briefed on the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s mission, which includes aerospace and maritime warning for North America.
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