Overview
- Under Secretary Allison Hooker and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri co-chaired Foreign Office Consultations that agreed to accelerate implementation of the COMPACT framework.
- The review covered trade and investment, defence cooperation, civil nuclear energy, technology, critical minerals, trusted supply chains, and the TRUST initiative.
- A high-level USTR delegation led by Deputy Ambassador Rick Switzer is set to restart formal bilateral trade talks in New Delhi on December 10–11.
- Tariff tensions overshadow the talks, with US duties on Indian goods doubled to 50% including a 25% levy linked to Russian oil purchases, and a new threat of a 5% tariff on Indian rice.
- Hooker’s visit continues in Bengaluru with a planned stop at ISRO and meetings across the space, energy, and technology sectors to expand collaboration.