India and United States to launch joint port and digital projects in the Indian Ocean

India and the United States have agreed to deepen strategic cooperation in the Indian Ocean via the Indian Ocean Strategic Venture, a framework unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump. The plan includes constructing and upgrading ports, strengthening maritime security, and rolling out advanced digital infrastructure such as 6G networks in Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius. Officials highlighted joint efforts to combat illegal fishing, human trafficking, and drug trafficking, as well as monitoring suspicious foreign research vessels, particularly those linked to China.

The initiative seeks to provide economic alternatives to Chinese state-run enterprises, acknowledging that private sector pricing may not always compete. Recent diplomatic exchanges, including talks between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Under Secretary of State Allison Hoover and discussions at the UN General Assembly, have paved the way for the collaboration, with a U.S. Coast Guard cutter already donated to Sri Lanka.