Washington, Feb 12, 2026
Calling South Asia “vitally important,” US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia S. Paul Kapur told lawmakers that India’s size and location make it the region’s anchor, arguing that a strong, independent New Delhi helps prevent any “single hegemon” from imposing “coercive leverage” over the Indo-Pacific.
Testifying before a House subcommittee hearing on US foreign policy in South and Central Asia on Wednesday (local time), Kapur said, “India alone has well over 1 billion people and occupies a subcontinental landmass; a hostile power dominating South Asia could exert coercive leverage over the world economy.”
“The United States must prevent this from happening and keep the region free and open,” he added.
Kapur framed the administration’s approach as one rooted in burden-sharing with partners. “America First does not mean America alone,” he said, stressing that Washington must “cooperate with like-minded partners who can share the burden.”
“All India, with its size, location, and commitment to a free and open region, anchors South Asia and more broadly the western half of the Indo-Pacific,” he told lawmakers.
Pressed on China’s growing reach, Kapur made clear the US objective. “What we’re trying to do fundamentally is not to keep China out of the region but to prevent China or any single hegemon from taking over or imposing coercive leverage on the region,” he said.
He argued that India’s strategic autonomy serves Washington’s interests.
“In India, that is able to be independent and preserve its freedom of action actually works to our strategic advantage and promotes our strategic interests,” Kapur said.
“In India, that is able to be independent and preserve its freedom of action, takes a huge swath of the Indo-Pacific off of China’s plate and almost by definition prevents it from becoming the dominant power in the region,” he added.
The testimony came days after President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached what Kapur called “a historic trade framework.”
“Just last week, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi reached an agreement on a historic trade framework,” he said, adding, “Following the trade framework President Trump reached last week with Prime Minister Modi, we can now focus on other shared priorities.”
House subcommittee chair Congressman Bill Huizenga underscored India’s place in US strategy. “India, the largest democracy in the world and one of the fastest growing economies, remains a vital strategic partner,” he said.
Huizenga pointed to the trade deal’s specifics. “The US-India trade deal sets India’s tariff rate at 18 per cent, one of the lowest regionally,” he said, adding that Delhi has agreed to buy more American energy.
He also framed India as central to countering Beijing. “India shares our objective of ensuring that China cannot bully its neighbours or threaten American assets in the Indian Ocean,” Huizenga said.
Beyond trade, Kapur outlined what he described as “three broad categories of approach to strategic capacity building” — “defence cooperation, targeted investment and diplomacy.”
On defence, he emphasised continuity despite recent trade tensions. “Despite some of the uncertainties surrounding the trade relationship in recent months, our other initiatives and efforts with India have continued forward, defence, energy, technology, and so on,” he said.
“We just signed the ten-year framework, which is going to help us move forward in interoperability, in joint exercises and many of the things that we — that we do and have been doing in recent years,” Kapur added.
He said there are “some potential purchases of weapons systems in the pipeline that will help India to protect itself better, ensure its sovereignty, and also will create American jobs.”
Kapur also highlighted “Indian purchases of US products ranging from drones to liquefied natural gas” as part of expanding energy and technology cooperation.
Democratic Congressman Ami Bera stressed bipartisan continuity in India policy. “This kind of strategic thinking has transcended both Democratic and Republican administrations,” he said.
Bera added that even amid turbulence, “we continued to move forward on most axes of the relationship in a pretty robust way.”
Kapur also referenced cooperation “bilaterally and also through the quad,” describing it as “a very important platform” that enables the United States to “connect and cooperate in unique ways with our like-minded partners.”
The US-India partnership has steadily expanded over the past two decades across defence, energy, and technology cooperation.(Agency)
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